


Growing Pains

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Canon, Fluff, No Slash, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-02-11
Updated: 2005-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-27 02:10:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12071496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: This is a story about Gus growing up in the QaF family. Mostly Brian, Justin and Gus but the others are there too. I have this all saved in one shot on my computer so chapters 1htrough 11 are all there!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

CRASH 

GUS! 

GUS! 

NO! 

DO NOT PLAY WITH THAT! 

GUS! 

DO NOT OPEN THAT DRAWER! 

GUS! 

THAT IS NOT A BALLOON NOW PUT IT DOWN! 

CRASH

Justin had to stifle his laughter as he sat and listened to Brian chase his son around the loft.

Gus was now two and especially terrible.

Well…at least we know he's definitely Brian’s kid… 

He was getting into EVERYTHING now…

Yet Brian still agreed to take him for the three-day weekend while Mel and Lindz had some alone time.

Justin was the only one Gus really ever listened to…

Besides his moms and Debbie (on occasion)

“ Gus,” yelled Justin “, Come here little man!”

Justin saw Gus look up from his position at Brian’s “toy” drawer and run towards him.

The two year old launched himself at the couch and landed on Justin's lap.

“ Ugh! 

Careful little man…

You’re gonna hurt me one of these days,” said Justin.

“ Sowwy jusin,” Gus said.

Justin watched as an exhausted looking Brian hobbled into the room.

“ Looks like you’ve already got your OLD man hurting,” said Justin,

putting an emphasis on the word old.

“ I am NOT old,” Brian shot back as he flopped onto the couch.

“Why don’t you watch a movie Gus…

How about the power puff girls?”

“Yay! Powdew puff giwls,” Gus said…clapping his hands.

Justin put the DVD in and sat Gus down in front of the TV.

When he was sure Gus was totally into the movie, 

Justin returned to the couch.

“Leave it to a fuckin two year old to tire me out….

YOU can’t even do that,” said Brian. 

“He’s two Brian…

He has a lot of spare energy…”

“Ugh…why did you let me do this?

Why did you not try and talk me out of taking him for three days??”

“ Um…

I did try…. 

I seem to remember saying something along the lines of… 

You’ve seen what he does to Mel and Lindsey's…

Do you really want him running around the loft with all your expensive things?

And you said oh stop being a little twat and grab his stuff…

I’m his dad…

He listens to me… 

And I seem to remember saying something along the lines of bullshit…

And you said….”

“Ok…I get the point…you were right…”

“ Thank you…

Its very big of you to admit that…”

Brian laughed as he said “, I have something else that’s big for you”

Brian used his weight to push Justin down onto the couch.

He pressed his lips against Justin's as his hand reached down inside Justin's pants…

“Ahh,” said Justin, pulling Brian’s hand from his pants, 

“I also recall telling you that there will be no sex while Gus is awake or in the loft at all…”

“ What the fuck do you mean no sex? 

You mean I’m gonna have to wait three days to get my dick in your ass? That’s bullshit”

“ Hey…I’ve walked in on my parents before,” Justin said, shuddering, 

“That’s traumatizing to a kid”

“Well as soon as he's gone…

I’ll show you traumatizing.”

Brian got up and walked into the kitchen.

Justin just sat and waited for him to come back…  
The movie was almost over and he knew Gus wouldn’t want to sit still for very much longer.

He got up and went to find Brian in the kitchen.

“ Hey,” he said, “ the movie’s almost over…

It’s a really nice day…why don’t we take Gus to the park?”

“ Yea…whatever…lets just do something and get him out of the loft,” said Brian,

“If he keeps going at this rate…

all of the condoms will be gone before the three days is up…”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“ Christ!

How the fuck does he still have all this energy after tearing up the fuckin loft like he did,” 

asked Brian, as he watched Gus run around the parks playground.

“ This coming from the guy that can come home from Babylon at three in the morning 

and still have the energy to fuck me four times before he goes to sleep,” Justin 

sarcastically replied.

“ good point…”

“DADA!! JUSIN!! PUSH ME ON DA SWING!!”

“ Damn…

he's got a set of lungs on him doesn't he,” said Brian.

“ Yet again…

this coming from the guy that gets noise complaints from his neighbors,” Justin replied 

with a smirk,“ Well…at least we know he's yours.”

“Haha. Shut the fuck up. 

I hate it when you're right.”

Justin just looked at him and smiled as he walked over to push Gus on the swings.

Brian sat and watched as Justin played with his son.

He was like another dad to Gus. 

He saw how much Justin loved Gus 

and dammit if it seemed like sometimes Gus loved Justin more than he loved his own 

father.

 

But Brian knew that Gus loved him.

And he knew that he would do anything in the world for his son.

It was amazing to think that by doing a favor for two of his friends would produce 

something that he loved so much that sometimes it actually hurt.

Brian looked at his watch to see that it was about four o’clock.

They were supposed to be at Deb’s for dinner in an hour and a half.

He looked up and saw Justin and Gus running towards the bench where he was seated.

“ Hey sonnyboy,” he said, “ Its time to go home.

we have to go to grandma Deb’s soon and you have to get cleaned up.” 

He tickled the little boys tummy and made him giggle.

“ Ok dada,” said Gus.

As they walked through the park, back to the car, Justin reached out and grabbed Brian’s

hand. 

He was sure Brian would pull away and tell him not to be so lesbionic or something 

along those lines.

But instead he tightened his grip on Justin's hand and pulled him closer and they followed 

their son along the long, sunny park path.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Brian pulled the jeep into the driveway of Debbie's house and turned off the engine.

“Ok,” he said quietly to Justin, “ are we ready to take our own personal little trip into  
hell?”

“ Brian,” Justin replied, swatting Brian on the arm, “ you know you love coming to Deb’s  
for dinners so don’t even try to deny it.”

Dammit…Brian hated it when he was right…

They both turned around to tell Gus they were here and found him sound asleep in his car  
seat.

Brian went around to the back door and gently lifted Gus out of the seat and placed him  
on his shoulder.

Gus was such a sound sleeper that he didn’t even stir when he was moved.

That day at the park must have really tired him out.

They walked into Deb’s house and were greeted with hugs and kisses from all of their  
extended family.

Even though he was a sound sleeper, Gus couldn’t sleep through all the noise in Deb’s house.

He was fully awake now and ready to play again.

“ AUNTIE EM,” he yelled as he ran over to Emmit

“ Hey there Gus,” said Emmit, “how’s my favourite two year old in the entire world  
doing today?”

Before Brian and Justin could even sit down, Debbie came over to them and wrapped  
them in hugs.

“ So boys,” she said, “ how was your day with Gus?”

“ Well first,” Brian replied, “ he tore up the loft, then Justin denied me sex,  
then we went to the park. So to answer your question…

I’m having a fabulous day…”

But Debbie wasn’t paying attention in the least part.

She gave Brian an ‘oh, that’s nice honey’ and went back to cooing over Gus.  
It was a usual dinner with the gang.

Pasta, Mikey and Ben talking about monks and Tibet and crap like that, and then they all said their goodbyes and left. All in all it was uneventful night.

By the time Brian and Justin opened the loft door, Gus was out cold on Justin’s shoulder.

They carefully put him into his PJ’s and placed him on the floor cushion in the living  
room.

Singe Brian knew the no se with Gus in the loft rule was in effect, he went off alone to take a shower.

He was soaping himself up when he felt hands sliding down his back.

He turned around to see a naked Justin standing behind him

“He’s asleep,” he said.

“You're breaking your own rule,” said Brian.

“Rules are meant to be broken.”

Justin stepped out of the shower and locked the door.

He returned and hooked his hand around Brian’s neck, pulling him into a deep kiss.

As they kissed, they let their hands roam around each other’s bodies.

Of course Brian took control, pushing Justin up against the wall of the shower, grinding himself into Justin’s hip.

He was about to flip Justin around when he stopped.

He flipped around himself and leaned on the wall, waiting for Justin to take his hint.

He did.

Brian heard the condom wrapped tear open behind him and Justin rolling it onto himself.

Justin pressed himself against brains hole and slid in.

“Oh god Brian,” he said, “ you’re so tight.”

They had to try and be quiet so they didn’t wake Gus so when the time came -- no pun intended – Justin covered Brian’s mouth with his hand as they came together.

They slid to the floor to catch their breath when there was a knock on the door.

“DADA! I GOTTA GO POTTY!!,” said Gus though the bathroom door.

“Wow. That kid has some timing,” said Justin.

“Haha, yea,” replied Brian.

They dried off and opened the door as Gus rushed to the toilet.

“ See, he didn’t hear us,” said Brian.

“ I guess that rule didn’t work out so well huh?” said Justin.

“ I guess not. Maybe we can try again next time.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8 years later….

“Dammit…we always say next time and it never works,” said Justin, as he tried to get the 

water out of his ears. 

“ Well at least he learned to knock every time now,” replied Brian, 

“ You know…I think therapy is really doing him good. 

You know…after the last time…

Yea….

You were right…

it does traumatize a kid…

and I have the therapist bills to prove it…”

as they walked out of the bathroom, a 10-year-old Gus greeted them..

“ Guys..

My therapist said that if you keep doing that when I’m here…I’m gonna go crazy,” said 

Gus.

“ Oh stop being a little drama princess,” said Brian , “ grab your stuff…we need to get 

you to softball practice. 

You were late last time and your mother had my balls on a silver platter. 

Damn. 

What is it with munchers and softball…I don’t get it,”

“ Brian,” Justin yelled from the bedroom, “ Stop queening out and take the kid to practice 

already. 

Remember what Mel did to you the last time he was late. 

You couldn’t walk right for a week.”

“ Yea yea yea…I know…lets go Gus,” Brian said.

Before he left, he went into the bedroom and gave Justin a little swat on the ass.

“ And I’ll see you when I get home.”

“ I HEARD THAT! “Gus said from the living room.

“Bye.” Said Justin.

“Later”

 

“ The therapy sessions are really paying off dad…

Dr. Reynolds said I’m making really good progress,” said Gus, on their way to practice.

“ You better be making progress,” replied Brian, “ That guy costs me $500 an hour. 

For what I’m paying…you should be cured by now.”

“ Are you gonna make it to my game on Saturday?”

“ I’ll try Gus. But we’re really busy at work right now. 

But you know that if I can’t make it, Justin will be there. 

Ok?”

“ Ok dad. Um dad?”

“Mhmm”

“Is Justin like your husband or something?”

“Um…I guess you could say that…but don’t you ever tell him I said that. Why do you 

ask?”

“ Because…

if he's like your husband…

then how come I’ve never heard you tell him you love him? 

Mama and mom say it all the time.”

“ Justin and I feel like we don’t need words to tell each other how we feel. We just show 

each other…and that’s exactly the same as saying it.”

“ Dr. Reynolds says that it’s nice to hear it sometimes…to reassure yourself.”

“ Well Dr. Reynolds can suck my di….I mean that’s nice. 

But Justin and I show we love each other in other ways.”

“ like what?”

“Like what?

Have you seen where we live?? 

I bought those apartments just so he could have his own studio space. 

If I didn’t love him would I have done that for him?”

“ I guess not”

With that they pulled into the parking lot of Gus’s school and parked.

“ Thanks dad…I’ll see you at four.”

“Gus…

Actually Justin is gonna pick you up today so I’ll see you when you get back to the loft.”

“ Ok dad…See ya!”

“ Later”

As Gus ran to meet his teammates, 

Brian pulled out of the space and back onto the road.

That little talk with Gus had gotten him thinking.

It had been ten years since he met Justin. 

And he really did love him. 

Maybe it was finally time to tell him that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

..::JUSTIN’S POV::..

“ Brian? Where are you and why are all the…. lights…out…oh my god,” I said a stepped into the loft.

The lights were off because they were not needed.

The entire loft was filled with candles.

They were placed on every available surface.

And then I saw him.

He was standing at the top of the stairs, dresses in a tux with a bouquet of roses in his arms.

“ Hey,” he said.

“ Brian? What's all this for?”

“I wanted to do something special”

“Brian…

what’s all this about…you never do this…

OH MY GOD! 

Are you dieing?!

Is this like a goodbye or something?!”

“damn Justin…stop being a little drama princess…

Can’t I just decide to do something nice for you.”

“ of course you can…Brian… I love it”

“ and I love you”

“ Oooooh is that that chi….what did you just say?”

He walked down the stairs and placed the roses on the counter behind me.

“ I said I love you,” he repeated

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes when he said it again.

I felt them the first time he said it too…

Yea.. I heard him the first time..

I just wanted to make him say it again..

Hell…

I had waited ten years for him to say it…

Do you really think I would just let him say it once?

“ Brian…

I..I love you too”

I jumped into his arms and he carried me up the stairs to the bedroom.

It was an hour later when I woke up and looked at the clock.

“ HOLY SHIT! GUS!” I yelled.

It was 4:30 and I was supposed to be there at four.

shit shit shit fuck fuck!

I reached over to wake up Brian and I found that he wasn’t there.

That’s when I realized Gus was standing in the doorway just looking at me…

“Don’t worry Jus…

dad already picked me up….

he said that you fell asleep and that he got done with work early so he decided to come pick me up instead…

oh and by the way…

congrats on the I love you thing… 

I always knew he did…”

I just stood there confused as hell staring at him.

“oh…and you might wanna put on some pants…”

“huh. OH! DAMMIT! Sorry Gus…”

“yea…I have to go call my therapist now…I think I’m having a breakdown”

 

..::BRIAN’S POV::..

as soon as I got home from dropping Gus off, I was relieved to see that Justin was not there.

That’s when I put my plan into action.

I want back out and spent 100.00 on candles.

Two hours, about a billion matches and three burned fingers later all the candles were lit.

I looked at the clock and it was 1:00.

I remembered Justin saying that he was gonna go out for a while when I left so I figured he would be back soon. 

I jumped in the shower and made sure I used that soap he liked. 

I wanted everything to be perfect for him. 

I was just fixing my tie when I heard the elevator moving.

Showtime. 

I ran down the stairs and grabbed the roses in the fridge. 

I timed it perfectly so that dinner would be ready and I was standing at the top of the stairs when he opened the door.

I saw him before he saw me. He looked so beautiful with the candlelight reflecting off of his pale skin.

And of course he had to ruin the mood by saying something stupid..

What kind of question is are you dieing??

It was just like when I first brought him home…

The kitchen was his favorite part of the loft, other than the bedroom of course, 

and he still likes cheerios better than special k… 

and then I told him. 

It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was gonna be.

And I knew he heard it the first time I said it…

He just wanted me to say it again..

Hell…

I had made him wait ten years to hear me say it…

I owed it to him to say it more than once.

After that we made love…

And I do mean made love…

It wasn’t just a quick fuck…it was slow and sweet…

But afterwards it was like always. 

We fell asleep with our arms around each other.

When I woke up about a half an hour later I saw that it was 3:30 and I went to pick up Gus.

I told him the whole story…

well…

not the WHOLE story…

I’ve traumatized the kid enough haven’t I?

We got back to the loft and a half an hour later, 

Justin was queening out naked on the bed and Gus had to talk some sense into him…

and tell him to put some pants on of course…

Well there goes another 500$ in therapy….

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“ Oh. My GOD! JUSTIN!” yelled Brian as he walked into the loft.

“ Hmm?” Justin replied as he climbed down from the ladder he was standing on. “What’s wrong?”

“ What the fuck did you do to my loft?”

“ Um number one…

It’s just a little decorations…

And number two…

Since when is the loft YOURS and not ours?

You have to remember Brian… I’ve been living here for ten years…minus a couple of 

months here and there…I think the loft has officially become OURS not YOURS…”

“Whatever the fuck…

Why are there fuckin streamers hanging everywhere and…

Holy fuck!

Is that a piñata near my $3000 stereo system??”

“ Yes…

It appears to be a piñata doesn't it…

Oh by the way…

I told Lindsey we would have Gus’s eleventh birthday party here…”

“ You did WHAT?”

“ Brian…

He’s your son…

You can’t refuse him anything and you know that as much as I do.

She was gonna ask you but we both knew you would say yes so I just agreed for you.”

I hate it when he's right…Brian thought

“ So this would mean that I’m going to have a bunch tweens running around my… 

oh excuse me…

OUR

House?”

“ Yup”

Brian just sighed as he looked around the once modern styled and pristine loft…

It was now totally covered in streamers and brightly colored decorations.

Leave it to an artist to get carried away with the creativity.

“ Well in that case…

May I make a suggestion?” Brian said.

“ Sure…

Its YOUR loft after all…you should get a say in how its decorated…” Justin said with a smirk

“ Fuck you…

and a piñata?

Damn Justin…he's eleven…not three…”

Justin said nothing and flipped Brian the bird as he climbed the ladder and resumed hanging the streamers.

Brian put down his stuff and went to change out of his work clothes.

Once he was done he picked up the phone to call Gus and wish him a happy birthday.

Today was his actual birthday…

But Lindsey had scheduled his party for tomorrow.

: Ring ring:

“ Hello?”

“ Hey Lindz…

It’s Brian…

Is Gus there?”

“ Sure Bri…oh and by the way…

Thanks for letting us have the party at you house….

It shouldn’t be more than 20 kids…at most…”

Holy fuck! 20?????????????????????

“: Gulp: oh…ok…no problem,” Brian says…

Twenty kids running around the loft…

He had to make sure that all the toys were hidden well…

“ Oh I’m happy to hear that…

Ok here’s Gus.”

“ Hey dad!”

“ Hey sonnyboy! Happy birthday!”

“ All my friends are really excited to come to my party…

I told them all how cool your house is and how you have all that cool electronic equipment and stuff!”

“ Oh you did, did you?”

“ Yup…”

“Well sonnyboy, I have to go…  
Justin needs help with the decorations”

When Justin heard Brian say that he let out a HA from his position atop the ladder.

Brian just flipped him off went back to saying goodbye to his son.

“ Ok dad.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

I love you”

“ I love you too sonnyboy.

Bye”

“ Justin needs my help with the decorations?” said Justin after Brian hung up the phone “ when have I ever asked you for help with something like this?”

“Shut up…” Brian replied.

He hated it so much when Justin was right…

and dammit… 

that seemed to happen a lot.

“You know…” Justin said, climbing down from the ladder…

“ Today is kinda like our anniversary…”

“ Yea… it’s been ten years since I picked up some little twink who wouldn’t leave me alone….”

Justin swatted Brian on the arm as he continued to speak.

“ Ten whole years….

Can you believe it?”

“ Justin…

If someone had told me that in ten years I would be standing in my loft with my partner, decorating for my sons birthday party…

I would have told them to fuck off…

But you had to go and change all that didn’t you?” Brian said as he pulled Justin into his arms.

Justin giggled and said 

“ Yup”

“ So do you think you could take a break from all this kids party stuff and come have a real good time with me?” (Authors note: wow…that was corny to the max! lol)

“ I think I could take a little break”

Brian picked Justin up and Justin wrapped his legs around the older mans waist.

They were in the bedroom and naked in what seemed like three seconds flat.

Brian laid Justin down and pressed his lips onto the blondes as hard as he could.

Justin opened his mouth to allow Brian’s tongue to enter.

“Roll over” said Brian as he reached for the ever present condom and lube.

Justin flipped over and waited for his lover to put on the condom.

He felt Brian squeeze the cold lube onto his ass and then push in.

The two men rocked together in a perfect rhythm.

It was as if they were made perfectly for each other.

Soon they were both moaning with pleasure as Brian sped up.

“ I’m coming!” Justin screamed as Brian slammed into him.

Moments later Brian came and collapsed onto Justin’s back.

“ I love you” Brian said just before drifting off to sleep.

The next day…

“ So how long will all these little disease factories be here Justin?” Brian said quietly after letting the twenty-fifth kid into the loft.

Dammit Lindsey…you only said twenty…at the most! Brian thought.

“ Watch it Brian…

Your son is one of those said disease factories…” Justin replied.

“ Justin…

It’s been three hours!

When are they gonna leave?”

“The party is from 12 to 5…

Two more hours and they’ll be go--”

CRASH!

“Oops….”

Both the boys looked to where the oops came from.

When they saw that someone had knocked down Brian’s three thousand dollar stereo system with the stick they had used for the piñata, 

Justin's head whipped around to face Brian.

The look on his face was a mixture of being about thisclose to tears 

and being thisclose to going over to that hid and throwing him out the loft window.

When Brian started walking towards the kid, 

Justin quickly wrapped his arms around the older mans waist, 

restraining him.

He didn’t know what Brian would do to the boy…

All he did know was that whatever it would have been would have landed them in deep shit trouble 

and probably prison.

“ I want them out of my house…. now” Brian said through gritted teeth.

“ Brian…

just go lay down…

I’ll take care of this.” Justin replied.

He motioned to Gus to grab the broom and start picking up all the little pieces Brian’s stereo was now in.

“ Brian…

just stay here…

I’m gonna call Lindz…

You're officially off duty…

I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to come and help.” Said Justin as he watched Brian lay down on the bed.

: Ring ring:

“ Hello?”

“ Lindz?

Its Justin…”

“ Oh hi Justin…

Hows everything going?”

“Fine…

Except for the fact that Brian is now on the verge of a nervous breakdown…

Oh…and he wanted me to tell you…you now owe him three thousand dollars.”

“What??”

“ We had a little accident involving the stereo system….”

“ Oh dear…”

“ Yea… I had to make him go lay down before he threw the kid out the window….

So in other words…

You're needed over here…

Now…”

“ I’ll be right over…”

“ Thanks Lindz…

Bye”

“Bye”

About ten minutes later, Lindsey was at the loft and the rest of the party went fairly smoothly…

Well except for when that one kid ended up having too much cake and threw up all over Brian’s mis van der rough coffee table…

But it was cleaned up and never mentioned to him…. 

And the smell will go away….

Right?

Later that night…

After all the kids had left, Justin surveyed the damage.

The party went pretty well….

If you don’t count the puke and the stereo…

Justin was now dead tired and ready to just sleep….

Brian hadn’t left the bedroom since about three-thirty that afternoon.

Justin had gone in to check on him once or twice and had found him actually sleeping with all the noise in the loft.

I guess that’s what happens when you get old…

You can sleep through anything…

Justin stripped down to his underwear and crawled into bed next to Brian.

He had a stomachache because all he had eaten that day was pizza and cake…

Just as he was falling asleep he got a weird feeling…

You know…like the feeling you get when someone is watching you?

Yea… that feeling.

He opened his eyes to see Brian staring at him…

“ What…

No kiss goodnight?” Brian said.

Justin just laughed as he leaned over and gave Brian a kiss on the lips.

“ Good night Brian…

I love you”

The last thing he heard before he drifted off the sleep was the sound of Brian’s voice saying…

“ I love you too Sunshine”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Five years later…

“…Happy birthday to you!!”

Everyone clapped their hands as a now officially sixteen-year-old Gus blew out the candles on his birthday cake.

Gus looked around the table to see his whole family smiling at him.

His dads, his moms with his new little sister Brooke, uncle Mikey and uncle Ben, Hunter, grandma Deb, uncle Vic, Emmit or as he called him, Auntie Em, Ted.

Haha…yea

Ted was just…Ted in his book.

No matter how weird his family was, he loved them with all of his heart. 

“ Ok…

Who wants cake,” asked Deb.

 

After they were done with the cake, everyone went into the Deb’s living room to watch Gus open his presents.

“Here you go Gus,” said Debbie, “ this ones from Vic and me,”

She handed Gus a package with brightly colored wrapping paper that weirdly resembled one of her shirts that she loved to wear.

Gus opened the package to find a handmade scarf and hat.

Dear lord, this is the ugliest thing I have ever seen in my entire life, he thought.

But he put on his fake smiley face and thanked his grandma and Vic with a big hug and kiss.

Even though Gus didn’t say anything, Brian had to pipe in from his spot on the couch with his opinion.

“ Jesus Christ Deb…

That is the ugliest fuckin thing I have ever seen.”

“No dad…

I really like it.

Thanks…

A lot.”

After Gus tore through the rest of his presents, and was rewarded with the new issue of Rage from uncle Mikey, uncle Ben and Hunter, 

a couple of new video games he had wanted, 

a few cd’s and a couple of new shirts,

it was time to go home.

He was spending the week with Brian and Justin so he said his goodbyes and hopped in the jeep and went back to the loft.

“ So you really liked that scarf and hat sonnyboy?” asked Brian.

“ No words in the English language can express how much I hate that thing…” Gus replied.

Brian and Justin laughed at the fact that Gus said something that so resembled what Brian might have said if he had received the gift.

When they got back to the loft it was time for Brian and Justin to give Gus their gift to him.

“Ok sonnyboy,” said Brian, “ its time for you to get your birthday presents from us.”

Gus opened the door to his room and gasped when he saw a brand spankin new 32” Sony flat screen TV hanging on his wall and a new laptop sitting on his desk. 

“ Holy crap!” Gus said as he ran over to look at his new stuff.

“ Well Brian,” said Justin, “ from the look on his face I think he likes it.”

“Oh, but Justin,” said Brian, “ we almost forgot your present.”

“Ahhh…that’s right”

Gus watched Justin leave the room for a minute and come back with a huge basket full of art supplies.

Having lived with Justin for his whole life, Gus had taken on his artistic talent.

“Oh my god!” Gus said, “ thank you so much”

“ You’re so welcome sonnyboy”

Gus gave both of his dad’s a hug and a kiss before going back to looking through the basket that he had just received.

“ Well sonnyboy,” said Brian, “even though it is your birthday, tomorrow is still a school day and its twelve o’clock so its time for bed.”

“Ok dad.” Gus replied.

He changed into his PJ’s and gave both Brian and Justin a kiss goodnight and went off to bed.

I can’t wait to tell everyone about all my cool stuff!

They’re gonna be sooo jealous! Gus thought just as he fell asleep. 

 

The next day…

“ I swear to fuckin god! 

I don’t know why you think I’m lying…

You can come over after school today and see it. 

Its on the wall in my room.” Said Gus as he told his friend Parker about his new TV.

“ I’ll be there,” replied Parker. 

“ I have to come over sometime anyway…

We need to finish that project for fuckin Watkins class.”

“ Ok…

Well you can come over today after school…

I’m sure my dads wont mind.”

All of Gus’s friends knew that he had two dads and two moms, so when he said something ‘like I’m sure my dads’ wont mind’ or ‘I have to ask my moms,’ no one ever thought twice.

“ Ok Gus,” said Parker, “ I’ll see you after school.”

“Later”

“Later”

Gus walked away feeling really excited that Parker was coming over today after school.

But it wasn’t the kind of excitement that meant he got to show off his new TV…

it was different somehow.

But he just brushed it off and told himself to get to class before Mr. Gonzalez flipped out on him.

 

Later that day…

 

” Holy shit Gus!

Your house is fuckin awesome!” said Parker as they walked into the loft.

“ What can I say?

My dads have really good taste.” Replied Gus.

“Dad! I’m home!! Dad?”

No one replied when Gus called out.

“Hey Parker,” Gus said, “ why don’t you get set up in my room while I go and try to find al least one of my dads.

You just go down that staircase and it’s the first door on the right.”

“ Ok.” Replied Parker.

Gus walked around the loft looking for at least one if not both of his dads.

He made sure to knock as he entered the bathroom but he found that no one was home.

It was weird for no one to be there when he came home from school. 

He didn’t expect to find his dad…

But Justin was usually always there, and if he weren’t, he would leave a note.

Hmm…. Weird…Gus thought.

Gus figures that they would be home soon so he just went into his room to work on the project with Parker.

They worked on the project for about an hour when they decided to take a snack break.

Gus left the room and came back with some chips and a couple of sodas.

He handed one to Parker and they started to talk.

“ Did you see Maria McDonald today?” asked Gus, “ she looked fuckin hot today”

“ Yea…

I guess.” replied Parker.

Gus was confused but he didn’t say anything.

“ Gus” said Parker, “ can I tell you something?”

“ Um…sure…” replied Gus.

“ Um…ok…um…I…I think I…I…well…ya know…

“ Huh?”

“ I…I…”

Before Gus could figure out what Parker was trying to say, Parker leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

Gus was shocked when Parker pulled back.

He didn’t know what to think.

He was embarrassed…  
But…somehow…it just felt right.

He stared back at Parker.

“ I’m…I’m sorry…I”

But Parker didn’t get to finish his sentence because Gus leaned in and covered Parkers lips with his own.

They pulled back and just stared at each other for a minute, surprised, before they leaned forward again.

Gus pushed Parker back on to the bed until he was on top of him.

Hesitantly, he ran his hand down Parker’s arm.

He slowly opened his mouth when he felt Parkers tongue on his lip.

It felt so right to be kissing him.

But at the same time it was confusing for both boys.

How could they have not noticed this before?

They had known each other since grammar school but all of a sudden there was this 

attraction 

that had never been there before.

Just as Gus felt Parkers hand reach down into his pants,

The door opened.

“ Hey Gus…

I’m sorry I wasn’t…

OH MY GOD!” said Justin as he saw Gus lying on top of Parker. 

The two boys sat up and stared wide eyed at Justin.

“ I…I…I have to go…see ya Gus,” said Parker and he pushed by Justin and ran out of the loft.

Gus just watched him go then looked at Justin, who stared back at him with his mouth hanging open.

They looked at each other for a minute before Justin came over and sat down next to Gus.

“ You wanna talk about it?” asked Justin.

Gus shook his head no…

But he meant yes.

“ I don’t know daddy,” he said, his voice breaking from the tears welling in his eyes.

“ I don’t know what to think…”

Justin held Gus close as he cried.

“ Shhh baby…its ok…shhh…” Justin said as he smoothed his hand over the boy’s auburn hair.

“ Its ok Gus…

You know that your dad and I are here for you no matter what.”

“ Oh god! 

Please don’t tell him daddy…

Please!”

“ Gus…

Why?

What’s wrong?”

Justin looked into Gus’s eyes and saw how scared and confused he was.

“ Ok little man…

This is just between you and me.

But if you need someone to talk to…

I’m always here ok?”

“ Ok daddy…thanks

I love you”

“ I love you too little man”

Justin held Gus until he was feeling better and then went to make dinner.

Gus sat on his bed thinking about what just happened.

He didn’t know what to think.

All he did know was that all of a sudden, Maria McDonald didn’t seem so hot anymore.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That night at dinner…

“So Gus,” Brian said as he ate his leftover jambalaya, 

you know what they say…

It’s always better the next day.

“ Did you finish your project today?”

*COUGH COUGH! HACK HACK! CHOKE*

Brian and Gus looked across the table at Justin who seemed like he had forgotten how to chew his food.

“ You ok Sunshine?” asked Brian

“ Yea…I’m fine,” replied Justin between coughs, “ I guess it just went down the wrong way…”

I swear to god daddy…

If you make him think something is going on I will have to kill you, thought Gus.

But he was never the best at keeping secrets in the first place…

Fuck…

I’m screwed…

“ Yea dad,” said Gus, “ we’re almost done. We just need to put the finishing touches on it.”

“ ok…

well make sure you finish…

And don’t do a half assed job either” said Brian.

“ Don’t worry dad” replied Gus, “ we wont”

Later that night…

*Cough cough*

“ You ok Justin?” asked Brian when he heard Justin coughing in the bathroom.

“ Yea…

I’m fine.” Replied Justin.

Brian looked at Justin.

Something wasn’t right.

Justin wasn’t telling him something.

It couldn’t be that he was cheating on him…

Hell it had been 16 years…

Why would he cheat now?

You're such an ass for even thinking that, Brian thought.

But he still knew that look anywhere.

He was hiding something.

“Ok…

What is it?” asked Brian.

“ What?” Justin asked.

“You’re not telling me something Sunshine.

What is it?”

Brian watched for the tell tale signs that Justin was keeping something from him.

His eyes widen to the size of saucers when he was lying

He watched as Justin stared wide-eyed at him.

Check.

Justin also used a lot of um’s and eh’s when he was lying.

 

“ Um…I…um…I eh…don’t know what you're talking about.”

Double check.

“ Sunshine…” Brian said, using him older authority figure voice that always made Justin confess to whatever he did.

“Ok…fine…its Gus…” Justin finally said.

“What?

What about him?

Is he ok? What did he do?” Brian asked worriedly.

“ Oh…he's fine….

He's MORE than fine…” Justin replied.

“ Its just that…:sigh: he is gonna kill me for telling you this…

But today when I came home from the store Gus and his friend were already here.

So I went to his room to see how he was and…”

Justin paused and looked at the floor.

“ And what” Brian asked.

Justin could tell he was already mad that he had kept something about his son from him…

This was just gonna piss him off even more….

Here goes nothing…I’m so sorry Gus…he thought.

“ And I found him and his friend making out on his bed….”

“WHAT?!

Why in the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“He made me promise not to”

“ Well all I know is that his friend’s name is Parker…

So what does she look like and how can I track her down?

I think we need to have a little chat…”

“ He…”

“ Huh?”

“ I said he...not she…

Parker is a guy”

Brian’s mouth hung open as he stared at Justin.

His son was gay?

Oh. My god! He thought.

“ Parker is a guy?”

“ Did I stutter?”

Brian shook his head no.

He didn’t know why he was so surprised.

I mean with having two dads and two moms’s all his life, something was bound to rub off…

“ Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I couldn’t…

He made me promise not to tell you…

or anyone for that matter.”

“ But he’s my son…

I have a right to fuckin know this kinda shit!”

“I’m sorry Brian…

But I made a promise to him…

And the only reason I told you was because you used that damn older authority figure voice…

You know that I never could keep anything from you…”

“ Yea…

But if I hadn't asked…

You would have kept it from me…

I’m his father…

I deserve to know what’s happening in my sons life!”

“ Well you know what?

In the words of…well…YOU…

I’m his father too.

There may be no blood relation between us…

But I love him like he was my own.

And if he feels like he can tell me things that he can’t tell you…

So fuckin what?

I’m there to listen…

And maybe if you spent a little more time home instead of at the office he would be the same with you…”

Justin could see the hurt on Brian’s face as soon as those words came out of his mouth.

He wished he could go back in time and take everything back…

But he couldn’t…

What was said was said…

And there was no taking it back.

Brian just looked at Justin as he walked down the stairs and to the front door.  
He slipped on his shoes and slid open the door and just left.

Justin sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. 

He didn’t see Gus standing at the bottom of the bathroom door staring at him.

He had heard the entire thing…

And as mad as he was at Justin for telling his dad when he promised not to, 

he was sad that this had to happen because of him.

He quietly walked by Justin, who didn’t even look up to see him, and went into his room.

He had to fix this…

He just didn’t know how…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Justin sat on that bed for hours after Brian left.

He didn’t move…

He just sat there thinking about what he had done.

Soon it was one in the morning and he felt the bed sink under someone’s weight next to him.

“Daddy?” Gus asked.

“ Are you ok?”

He got no answer.

“Daddy?” Gus repeated and still…

no answer.

“ Fine…

If you won’t talk then I will.

I heard the whole thing.”

That got a reaction.

Justin turned his head to look at Gus and for the first time Gus got a look at his father’s tear-streaked face.

His eyes were red from crying and his nose was all red at the tip too.

And in place of his usual sunshine smile there was nothing.

His face was completely expressionless.

But even though he couldn’t see it on his face,

When Gus looked into his father’s eyes he saw complete and utter sadness.

The twinkle that was in his sapphire blue eyes when he was with Brian was gone.

It was replaced with just a blank stare.

And it broke Gus’s heart to see.

But he continued to talk.

“ I was standing at the bathroom door when he walked away. 

When I heard you tell hem about Parker I was so mad.

I wanted to scream and yell and tell you that I hated you and that I wished I had never told you anything in the first place... 

And that I wished that you weren’t my dad…

But…

Then I heard you say that even though there is no blood relation between us that you love me like I was your own son.

And I realized that I could never say anything like that to you because I didn’t…

I don’t mean it.

I love you daddy….

And I know that dad does too.”

“ Thank you Gus,” replied Justin in a monotone voice…

“ I love you too…

But its time for bed…you have school tomorrow.”

“ Goodnight daddy.”

But he got no reply.  
\--  
After Gus left the room, Justin thought about what he had said.

He knew Brian loved him.

They had been through so much and no matter what they always wound up together.

He couldn’t let him just walk away.

For the first time since Brian walked out the door, Justin got up off the bed and ran to Gus’s room

“I’ll be back.

If I’m not back by the morning to take you to school call grandma…and if she asks where we are tell her…well just…make something up…love you…”

Justin didn’t even give Gus a chance to reply before he rushed out of the room and flung the loft door open.

He ran outside and saw that Brian had taken the ‘vette so he hopped into the jeep and drove off.

Justin pulled up in front of Woody’s and ran in.

He quickly found the guys who looked at him, confused.

“ Have any of you seen Brian?”

“No honey,” Emmit answered, “ we haven’t seen him all night.”

“ Ok…

Thanks…

Bye”

Justin heard them call after him but he didn’t take the time to explain what had happened.

He hopped back into the jeep and drove away from the curb.

There’s only one more place he could be, Justin thought as he turned onto the highway.

\--  
Brian sat at the bar, nursing his second double beam of the night.

He knocked back the drink and signaled to the bartender for another.

He looked around him…

He was sitting in some seedy little breeder bar.

He had stumbled across it long before Justin came along. 

It was his secret spot…

Just some hole in the wall where he would come to think.

But the last thing he wanted to do right now was think…

To think about what Justin had said.

He told himself not to believe it….

That Justin was just pissed when he said it and it wasn’t true…

He was a good father and he did what was needed to support his family…

And he needed to be at the office to do so…

That’s all bullshit and you know it Kinney, he thought.

Then he thought back a couple of years…

The fact hit him like a brick wall….

Justin was right…

He was never home when Gus came home from school…he was always working…

And all those softball games he had missed…he couldn’t even remember what the name of the team Gus played for was.

How the fuck did this happen?

When did he become so obsessed with work that he couldn’t even take a little time off to spend with his son?

What made Brian feel even worse was that he had just…

Left…

And Justin had no idea where he was….

What an asshole, he thought.

Only seconds after he thought those words did he hear the door open.

He turned around to see who it was and came face to face with a pair of blue eyes.

“Justin?” he said.

He saw that Justin’s face was streaked with tear marks and he noticed the same thing that Gus did.

The sparkle was gone.

No longer did he look into those eyes and see them shining back at him…they were blank.

The only thing he saw in them was the face of some forty something year old asshole staring back at him.

“I…how?” was all Brian could manage to say before he got up and threw his arms around the smaller man.

He felt the warmth as tears ran down his cheeks.

“How did you know I was here? I never told you about this place…”Brian asked.

“ You talk in your sleep,” Justin replied. 

“ Baby I’m so sorry for walking out like that…

I should have never left like I did…” 

“No…I’m sorry…

I should have told you about what happened with Gus…

but he made me promise and I wanted to keep it but I should have told you any way…and…”

“Shhh…its ok…you were right.

I do need to spend more time with him. 

I never realized how work obsessed I was…

You need to come before work and I put you after…I’m gonna change that…I promise..”

“Don’t promise…just do it…”

they threw their arms around each other again and kissed each other like each of them had just come back from a ten year trip…

It was like they hadn't seen each other in years but it had only been a matter of hours.

“Lets go home baby…” said Brian as he linked his arm around Justin’s waist.

They both left the bar together and got in their respective cars and followed each other home.

They got back to the loft just as the sun was rising.

Brian and Justin had been awake all night and all they wanted to do was climb into bed and go to sleep.

They got into the loft and fell right into bed, not bothering to even change. 

Justin snuggled into Brian’s arms as they fell asleep.

When they finally woke up the loft was empty.

Gus must have called Deb to bring him to school, Justin thought.

He told Brian this and they snuggled back under the covers, not bothering to look at what time it was.

Gus came home from school and walked quietly into the loft. 

He stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked at his sleeping fathers.

He loved them both and he knew that they loved each other just as much.

And that they always would…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It had been three days since Brian and Justin had fought and made up and now things were running as usual.

Gus was still with them due to the fact that he was now on break from school.

He was expecting to be going home the next day but Brian had planned otherwise.

The day before, Brian called Lindz and asked her if they could keep Gus for his vacation too.

He had booked a trip to Hawaii for the three of them.

It would be their first real family trip.

Of course when Lindsey heard this she said ok and told them to have a good time.

Brian had it all planned out…

When Justin and Gus came home the bags would be by the door and they would be off to spend a week in tropical paradise!

Brian had spent all day packing for the trip.

And just so they wouldn’t have to take any extra time, he had packed for Gus and Justin…

That way they could just leave.

Brian was just zipping up the last suitcase when he heard the loft door slide open.

“Brian!,” yelled Justin, “ we’re home!”

“I’m in the bedroom,” Brian replied.

When Justin walked up the stairs and saw the suitcases, a confused look crossed his face.

“ What are you doing?” he asked.

“ Grab those two suitcases over in the corner…

They’re both yours…and tell Gus to get his ass up here and take his two…

They’re right over by the bed…I have mine…and lets go.”

“Huh?”

“Move you’re bubble butt Justin, we’re gonna miss our plane…”

Justin just stood there and looked at Brian.

He still hadn't gotten the hint that they were going on vacation…

Damn…you try to be subtle and this is the thanks you get…aww…fuck it…Brian thought.

“ We’re going on vacation to Hawaii for a week. 

Now you and Gus…

Move your ass’s or we’re gonna miss our flight.”

Brian watched as the faces of his lover and his son lit up with joy. 

They both ran to get the suitcases and hurried to the door. 

When they got outside, Brian had arranged for a car to pick them up and drive them to the airport.

They were there in less than a half an hour and boarding the plane no more than twenty minutes later.

Brian and Justin watched Gus stare out the window as they flew through the clouds.

Justin leaned over and kissed Brian on the lips…

Brian kissed him back and leaned back in his seat…

As much as his job required him to fly, he still hated it….

There was never enough legroom…

The food sucked…

And somehow…

Every fuckin time…

He would get stuck sitting next to the most annoying person in the world who would either never shut up or would stay totally silent and just stare at him the whole flight.

He looked over to find Justin staring at him…not saying a word…

See…every fucking time…he thought…

But this time he didn’t mind it so much.

They were about half way through the trip when Brian had the sudden urge to “use the restroom”

Seeing that Gus was totally engrossed in the movie he was watching on the portable DVD player, he nudged Justin.

“I’m going to the bathroom” he told Justin, hoping he would get the hint.

He didn’t…

“Ok…

Thanks for informing me…I guess…”

I swear to god…he can be so stupid sometimes…Brian thought.

“No Justin…

I mean…

I’m going to the bathroom….”

“Ok Brian… I get…. ohhhhh…. I get it…ok….”

Its about fuckin time…Brian thought as he walked down the aisle.

He got the small bathroom and about two minutes later, was joined by Justin.

“Hmmm…somebody wants to join the mile high club I see…” said Justin as he pressed Brian against the wall.

“Justin…I’ve been a member looong before you came along” Brian replied.

Justin slid his hands down Brian’s body and unzipped his pants.

He let them pool around Brian’s ankles as he started to suck on Brian’s hard cock.

Brian was close to coming when there was a knock on the door.

“Hello?? Is this stall occupied?” said the voice on the other side of the door.

Motherfucker…Brian thought as he watched Justin get up from his crouching position.

“Just a minute” he yelled through the door.

Then they realized they had a problem.

How were they both gonna get past this guy without making themselves known?

Since Justin was the one who told the guy to wait a minute, he was the first to go out…

He opened the door and stepped out…

Brian listened as he said…

“Oh my god! Is that Tom Cruise??”

When he heard the guy say where, me slipped out of the bathroom behind Justin while the guy’s back was turned…

“Oh...never mind…it was just the flight attendant…sorry…” he said as he walked down the isle and back to his seat.

When they got back to their seats, both Brian and Justin received a look of I-know-what- you-did-but-please-let-me-think-that-I-don’t-know from Gus.

And that look only intensified when Brian reached over to Justin and wiped white something off his lip.

But they didn’t have to deal with the embarrassment for much longer, because soon the captain came over the intercom and informed them that the plane was landing.

They got off the plane in Hawaii and saw a man who looked…no…was a limo driver with a sign with Kinney written on it waiting to take them to the airport.

They were taken to the hotel and shown to their rooms.

Brian and Justin had a suite and Gus was in the adjoining room.

By the time they got everything settled, it was time for dinner.

They didn’t have time to look for any good restaurants, so they called room service and ordered in.

Brian, Justin and Gus sat together in the dining room of their suite and ate dinner together.

They made their plans for the next day and went to bed.

A little while later Brian went in to check on Gus and found him lying awake in the dark.

 

“Everything ok sonnyboy?” Brian asked.

“ Yea dad…

It’s more than ok…

Its perfect…

I was just thinking about ho great this place would be for a wedding…”

Brian was surprised at this last statement…

“Well sonnyboy…

You have a while to go before you think about getting married…

You might wanna try and get yourself a girlfriend…

Or boyfriend…

first…”

“ I know that dad…

I was kinda thinking about you and daddy…”

“ You were, were you?”

“ Yea…

And dad…

It’s been 16 years…

I think its time for you guys to take the next step…

You have no chance of getting rid of him…you’re stuck…”

Brian laughed and shook his head at his son…

“ Well thank you Mr. Couple’s Therapist…

Go to sleep…. 

I don’t wanna have to drag your ass out of bed in the morning because you’re too tired to get up…

And don’t think I wont literally drag you’re ass out of bed…

Ask daddy…

I’ve don’t it to him before…

Good night sonnyboy…” Brian said as he closed the door.

Dammit…when did my kid become telepathic…Brian wondered.

He reached into his pocket and ran his fingers over the small velvet ring box he had hidden there.

Gus was right…

He was stuck with Justin…

But he didn’t care at all…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Brian woke up the next day and saw that Justin was still sleeping beside him, he carefully got out of bed and went to see if Gus was awake.

He was going to need all the help he could get if he was going to make this proposal perfect.

He wanted to do this at sunset, on the beach…

Basically he wanted to go for the most ridiculously romantic cliché proposal that anyone has ever seen.

This was going to make all other proposals look like crap.

But even though this was going to be ridiculously romantic, it was still going to be in the Brian Kinney style.

He opened the door to Gus’s adjoining room to find him already awake and watching Sponge Bob.

It was a habit he had gotten into with Justin.

Whenever he was over, they would wake up and watch Sponge Bob in the morning before he went to school.

“Oh…hey dad,” Gus said when he say his father standing at the door.

Brian walked into the room and locked the door.

He wasn’t going to take any chances that Justin would wake up and come barging into the room and ruining the surprise.

“Ok Sonnyboy…I need your help with something,” Brian said as he sat down next to Gus.

“Sure…what is it?”

“ I need you to keep daddy busy today”

“Ok…

Where are you gonna be?”

“I’m gonna be here”

“Um…dad… we didn’t have to come all the way to Hawaii for you to bum it around the hotel…

You could have just stayed home and done that”

“Very funny smart ass…

But I’m not going to be bumming it…

I have to set something up…”

“ What are you setting up?”

“I’m gonna propose to daddy tonight.”

“OH MY GOD DAD!! THAT’S GREAT!! OH MY GOD I CAN’T WAIT TO

: Muffled yelling:”

Brian clapped his hand over Gus’s mouth to stop him from yelling.

“Shhh…

He’s still sleeping… and I would like to keep this a surprise if you don’t mind!”

“Oops…

Sorry…ok…so what do you want me to do?”

“ I want you to keep him busy for the day…

Go sight seeing, go to the beach, go shopping… 

I don’t care what you do…

Just make sure he’s back here at six…

And no later or sooner…

Got it?”

“Yea dad…I got it…”

Ok…now get to it…go wake him up...”

Gus ran out of the room and Brian had to stifle a laugh when he heard a loud groan followed by a “MOTHERFUCKER!!”…coming from the other room.

\--

“ Brian!” yelled Justin from the bathroom, “ we’re leaving in about five minutes…why aren’t you dresses yet?”

“I’m not feelin too good today Sunshine…

I think it was something I ate yesterday…” replied Brian.

“Oh baby…I’m sorry…do you want me to stay here with you?”

“ NO! I mean…no… its ok...I’ll be fine… I just need to sleep it off…you and Gus go have a good time.”

“Ok baby…we’ll see you later…come on Gus!”

“Bye dad…feel better…”

As Gus walked out the door behind Justin he shot his father a knowing look

And suppressed a laugh when Brian winked back at him…

\--

Once the door was closed and locked and Brian was sure that Justin was not going to be returning to the room anytime soon, he started making the arrangements for the proposal.

He called the concierge and made arrangements for a special sunset dinner to be made just for them.

It would be ready and set up on the beach by five thirty.

When that was done, Brian went to his suitcase and opened the flap of fabric at the bottom…

This is where he had hidden his tux.

He called room service and told them to pick it up and have it pressed and that heads would roll if it were not back in his room by five o’clock.  
Now that that was taken care of…

All Brian could do was wait…

Somewhere on the island…

Justin looked at his watch and saw that the time was three o’clock.

He and Gus had been sight seeing, they had been to the beach, and they had gone shopping…

Now Gus was dragging him into another yet another store and he was getting damn tired…

It’s not that he doesn’t like shopping…

Because god knows he does…

It was one of his favorite pass times…

Especially when he was spending Brian’s money…

But seeing that Brian was sick back at the hotel mad this little excursion not as fun.

“Gus…

I think its time that we go back to the hotel…

I called dad and he didn’t answer so I’m kinda worried…”

“NO! I mean…no…I’m sure he’s fine…and there are so many more stores in this little strip mall that we haven’t been in yet….”

“ I swear to god…

Having two sets of gay parents has scared you for life…

You're starting to become a label queen like your dad…”

“Look who’s talking Mr. Gucci sunglasses…”

Justin brought his hand up to adjust said Gucci sunglasses and continued talking…

“We need to get back to the hotel…NOW….”

But Gus wasn’t paying attention to him whatsoever.   
He was too busy looking at a brochure for a helicopter ride over a volcano…

Great…this thing takes two hours… Gus thought.

“Oh daddy….” He said in a singsong voice….

“NO!

No way in HELL are you getting me on that ting!” Justin replied.

Btu it was too late…Gus was already waiting in line for tickets so he could do nothing but pay for them…

Sick or not Brian…your ass in MINE for this…Justin thought just as the helicopter took off…  
\--  
Back at the hotel…

Brian was putting the finishing touches on his hair when the phone rang…

“ Hello?”

“Dad…

Hey…

Were on our way back to the hotel…”

“Does he have any idea?”

“Nope…

I just have to wait for him to be done puking then we’ll be on our way…”

“Wait…

Puking? 

What did you do today?”

“We took a little trip over a volcano and he kinda got a little air sick…

Oh…and by the way…we owe the helicopter company three hundred dollars for the cleaning bills…

It wasn’t pretty…”

“Oh god…

Well make sure he gets back here in one piece please…”

“I gotta go… the retching stopped…he should be done…see ya!”

Brian looked into the mirror…

Then at the clock…

Then back into the mirror…

It was five o’clock…

And Gus and Justin were going to be back here soon…

He walked out of the bathroom and to the elevator…

When he got to the beach, the dinner was being set up and all was going as planned…

Brian reached into his pocket and took out the ring box.

He opened the lid and looked at the ring…

It was perfect for Justin…

Masculine…but still kinda feminine…

FLASHBACK START

Brian stepped into Tiffany’s and looked around at all the sparkling jewelry.

He had to find the perfect ring for Justin…

It had been sixteen years and it was finally time…

He loved Justin with all of his heart…

And nothing would make him happier than to be with him forever and make it official.

He looked through the glass cases at all the rings, searching for the perfect one…

Then he saw it…

It was a platinum band with sapphires that were the same color as his eyes set in it.  
He would love it…

He motioned to the girl to take it out of the display case and he asked for Justin’s size and bought it on the spot.

Brian Kinney he thought as of tonight…you are officially off the market.

Brian walked out of the store feeling happier than he had ever been…

He was finally going to go through with it…

And Justin would never see it coming…

FLASHBACK END

But that never happened…

The night Brian had bought the ring was the same night they had fought and he had stormed out of the house…

But now it was time…

Brain had told Gus to call when they got back and as if on cue….

His cell phone rang…

It was just a short call from Gus telling him that Groom to Be was now on his way to finding the note and would be there shortly.

He hung up and looked out at the ocean…the sun was about to set and everything was going to be perfect…

Back in the hotel room…

Justin got into the room and all he wanted to do was see how Brian was feeling…

But there was one problem…

There was no Brian…

All there was was a note…

J-

Meet me on the beach at six o’clock

Love B

Huh?

Justin wondered what Brian was up to but he changed his clothes and went down to the beach.

When he got there, he could see a person standing in front of a table filled with food…

When Justin got closer, he realized that it was Brian and that he was wearing a tux.

Where in the hell did he get a tux? Justin wondered.

“Brian…what’s all this?” he asked but Brian didn’t answer…

He just took Justin’s hand and led him to the table.

They ate the wonderful dinner that the hotel had prepared especially for them…

The sun was setting and it was show time…

Brian got up out of his chair and went over to Justin who watched him inquisitively…

He looked into Justin’s eyes as he got down on one knee.

“ Justin…

I love you with all of my heart…

You are the only person who could ever get through to me…

And you stuck by me through all the crap that has happened to us…

And even when I was being a complete asshole…you never gave up on me…

No matter how hard I tried to push you away and how many timed I told you to just get out of my life and never come back…you still did…

You never took any of my bullshit…

You knew that deep down inside there was an actual person that could love you the way that you loved me…

And from the first time I saw you I knew that I would never be able to get rid of you…no matter how hard I tried…

And now I’m ready to make it official…

Justin Taylor

Will you marry me?”

(I’m literally flipping out myself as I’m writing this!!)

Brian opened the ring box and put the ring on Justin’s trembling finger.

“Oh my god Brian!! YES! I will marry you!!”

Justin jumped out of the chair and wrapped himself around Brian.

They kissed and kissed and kissed until soon they were both out of breath.

They pulled apart and Brian opened his mouth to say something.

“Ok Sonnyboy…

You can come out of hiding now”

Justin turned around to see Gus walking down the beach with a big smile plastered on his face…

And then it all hit Justin…

“You knew about this!

That’s why you wouldn’t let me come back to the hotel!”

“Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!” Gus said.

Gus went over to his dads and they pulled him into the hug.

They were a family now…more than they were before Brian had popped the question…

And now they were going to make it official…


	2. Growing Pains

Awwww… didn’t the last chapter give you that warm and fuzzy feeling?? Lol!

A big thanx goes out to BadboyblondEsgurl for helping me unblock my writer’s block! You should all go and read her stories and give her nice reviews!

AHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! IT’S FINALLY DONE!!!

Sooo sorry it took so long…but I hope it’s worth the wait!!

MUAH! (Hugs and kisses from me!)

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

When Brian, Justin and Gus got back to the hotel after the proposal…

All three of them were glowing with happiness.

Gus went to bed while Brian and Justin stayed up and talked for a while…

With Gus in the room right next door they really couldn’t do much more than talk and they were on vacation…

There was no reason to scar the kid even more…

“Brian…I am so happy…. I love you.” Justin said as he lay next to Brian on the big bed.

“I love you too Sunshine…” Brian replied…

“ I cant wait to get home and tell everyone…they’re never gonna believe it!”

“ It cant be that hard to believe…”

“Brian…it’s been sixteen years…we all gave up on this happening when we hit the ten year mark”

“Huh?”

“ Wait…before you get all mad at me…what I’m saying is that even though you didn’t ask I knew that we would be together and I didn’t need you to ask anymore…

It would’ve been nice…. and it was…

But in the grand scheme of things…it just wasn’t that important…

The only important thing was that I was with you…”

Justin leaned over and gave Brian a kiss then went back to looking at the ring.

“ Do you like it?” Brian asked…

“Like it?

Brian I fuckin love it! Its gorgeous!” replied Justin.

Brian reached over and wrapped his arms around Justin’s shoulders.

“I’m glad you like it…

Now I have one more question for you…

How are we gonna tell the family?”

“ Oh…don’t you worry…I have it all planned out…”  
\--

Brian, Justin and Gus got back from Hawaii completely rested and ready to face the family.

Justin had decided that he would break it to them subtlety.

After they dropped Gus off at home he went to work on his plan.

He sat down at his drawing table and started sketching.

Brian came out of the bedroom to find Justin hard at work.

He went over to see what he was doing and found him doing Rage sketches.

“Jesus Justin…

We just got back …

Work can wait a while.” Brian said as he looked at the drawings.

Justin didn’t say anything to his little comment…he just kept drawing.

When Brian took a closer look at the drawings he noticed that Rage was down on one knee in front of JT…

Justin was making Rage propose to JT!

“Justin…what are you doing?” Brian asked even though he already knew…

“ Isn’t it cool?” Justin replied…

“Of course Mikey will be the first to know…

But then we can put it into a special issue that we already have done and give everyone a copy!”

“ Leave it to an artist to get creative even with something like this…

Why cant we be like, ‘hey…guess what…. were gettin hitched!’”

“Um…number one…hitched?

Brian…we’re not hillbillies.

And number two…this gives it a bigger shock factor…”

“Whatever you say Sunshine…”

The next day…

“Hey Justin…

So how was vacation?” asked Michael when Justin arrived at the store.

“It was great… It was so nice and sunny and warm there…what was it like here?”

“ It snowed for three days straight…you are one lucky bastard you know that?”

“Oh…you have no idea how lucky…”

“ What do you mean by that…Justin did something happen?”

But Justin wasn’t listening to what Mikey was saying.

He was too busy digging in his messenger bag for the new drawings.

When he finally found them he laid them out for Michael to take a look at.

“Justin…the next issue is done…we don’t need any more drawings…

And sorry Boy Wonder…Rage would never propose to JT…the readers would never believe it…”

“Well…it isn’t THAT hard to believe…” Justin said as he pulled the ring out of his pocket and slid it on his finger…

He held his hand out in front of Michael and wiggled his ring finger a bit.  
“Holy shit! He asked you!?” Michael asked…

“ No…

I just get this out of the quarter machine at the supermarket…

No shit he asked me!

And by the way…

Don’t think I forgot…

You owe me twenty bucks!”

“Fuck Justin!” Mikey said as he fished a twenty out of his wallet, “ this is great! But I can’t believe he actually did it!”

“ Neither could I…

He even recruited Gus to keep me busy so I would be surprised…”

“Jesus… I wonder how much its worth?”

“Michael! I don’t care how much its worth…. thirteen hundred…”

“ I thought you said you don’t care…”

“ I don’t…I was curious so I looked it up on the Tiffany’s website…”

“So how did he do it?”

“Ok so first he….”

Justin told Michael the whole story…

And by the end, Michael was in total agreement with how they were going to tell everyone.

“Justin…that’s great…

Oh! And no one has seen the newest issue…

Gimmie the drawing and I’ll take it to the printers and I’ll have a few copies made up.”

“Thanks Michael…I’ll see you tonight for dinner…”

“See ya Justin…”

Michael watched Justin walk out the door then looked at the drawings in front of him…

He still couldn’t believe that Brian had proposed…

It had been sixteen years and all of a sudden he had done it…

Maybe he finally realized that he was stuck with Justin for life…no matter what he did…

While part of him was happy for them…part of him just didn’t want to let Brian go…

But he shrugged off that feeling and headed out the door to make copies of the new drawings…

They are gonna flip out he thought as he got into his car and drove away.

Later that night…

“Deb…I cant eat any more…I’m gonna explode!” said Brian as he finished off his third bowl of pasta that Deb had placed in front of him.

Brian was carbo-loading that night…after all… it was a special occasion.

“I’ll eat it,” said Justin as he took the bowl from Deb and set it down in front of himself.

“Jesus Justin…that’s your fifth bowl…”

“He always was a hearty eater,” said Jennifer from across the table.

This was one of the few times that Jennifer actually showed up with Molly for dinner…

She was always working before and Justin was glad that they were both here that night.

“You guys never told us about the trip…

How was Hawaii?” asked Emmit.

“Oh…it was great…the weather was wonderful and there was so much to do!” replied Justin.

“Gus even convinced him to go on a helicopter ride over a volcano…” Brian added.

“Oh…hey Justin… I got the new copies of Rage today…wanna take a look?” asked Michael when they were done with dinner. “And I brought extras for you guys too.”

Justin looked at Brian and went to get the comics with Michael.

Before he took the comics back into the kitchen, Justin looked through it himself.

The drawings were on the very last page.

He couldn’t wait to see everyone’s reactions when they saw.

He reached his hand into his pocket and slipped the ring on…and then went back to the table to hand out the copies.

He took Brian’s hand under the table as they watched everyone flip through the comic.

Deb was the first to get to the end.

“ Ha…are we living through our art here Sunshine?” she asked jokingly.

“ Well Deb…it’s more like art imitating life…”Justin replied.

He let go of Brian’s hand and brought it up to Deb’s eyelevel to see.

She gasped as she grabbed Justin's hand to look at the ring.

“OH MY GOD! SUNSHINE!” she said as she pulled Justin into a hug.

Everyone else flipped to the back of the comic to see the pictures of Rage and JT.

When they saw they all got up and hugged Brian and Justin.

Finally when all the congratulations stopped, Brian walked over to Justin and put his arm around his waist.

They had gotten the reaction that they had wanted…

Deb, Jennifer and Emmit were all huddled together, crying…

Ted was in a state of shock…

And everyone else was pleasingly surprised and happy for them.

So by the end of the night, they had a happy family, a wedding planner courtesy of Emmit and the knowledge that they had many happy years of being together ahead of them.


	3. Growing Pains

Brian sat at the table writing checks for all the wedding costs.

Jesus Christ, he thought, did Em really need to get the doves?

But he just shook it off and went back to writing.

Justin walked into the room just as he was writing the last check.

“I’ve gone through an the entire book.” He said as he held up the empty check book.

“Well…this is Emmet we’re talking about…

You know how extravagant he can be.” Justin replied.

“Yea I know…but doves? Do we really need the doves? And the fireworks?”

“ I don’t ask…I just pay for it…”

“You pay for it?” Brian enquired as he held up the check book again.

All he got in response was the finger.

Justin sat down at the table next to Brian and placed his hand over Brian’s.

“We have to go ring shopping…

We only have a week left…” Justin said, smiling.

“I’ll put that on the to do list for tomorrow…

We also have to get the cake and get the suits tailored.” Brian replied

“ Can you believe it? A week…and we’ll be married…” Justin said.

“Sunshine…

Believe me…I never thought this would happen…

but…

I’m glad it is.”

Justin leaned over and gave Brian a small kiss on the lips before he got up and walked into the bedroom.

Brian followed him , climbed into bed next to him and soon they were both asleep.

The next day…

“Ok…. so its settled…we’ll take them.” Brian said as the tailor took their measurements.

Brian and Justin had decided to forgo the traditional tuxes in favour of matching tan suits.

After all…

They weren’t your average couple…

Justin watched Brian being measured for his suit….

That suit he thought, that’s the suit he’s gonna be married in…whoa…that’s a whole different thing…Brian Kinney…. MARRIED! To me…the twink that wouldn’t leave him alone…

Justin let out a little laugh at this thought.

“ What’s so funny over there?” Brian asked…

“Nothing…nothing at all…” Justin replied still with a little smirk on his face.

When they were done at the tux shop, Brian and Justin went ring hunting.

When the jeep stopped they were in front of Tiffany’s and Co…

The same place where Brian got Justin’s ring.

They went inside and started to look at all the rings in the glass cases.

Justin was walking in front of Brian when he all of a sudden stopped short.

His left hand swung out and hit Brian in the chest while he gasped and slammed his other hand to his own chest.

Brian raised an eyebrow and said, “ Jesus Justin…if anyone in here didn’t know that you were queer they sure as hell do now…

Now what has you queening out like that?”

Justin didn’t say anything…  
He just pointed a shaky hand at the display case.

Brian looked where Justin was pointing and saw a set of Platinum Milgrain wedding bands.

Price tag… 

$2,200.

But Brian could tell from how Justin was shaking from just looking at the rings that they were going home with them that day.

Brian motioned to the girl behind the counter to come and take the rings out for him and Justin to try on.

They were a perfect fit.

So when he handed the rings back to the girl, his credit card went with them.

“Oh my god…they are so perfect… I love them Brian!” Justin said as they got back into the jeep and continued on their way to the cake shop.

“ They better be…they cost a whole hell of a lot of money…” Brian replied.

“Yea…they’re only a little over what you paid for my ring…oops…”

“What did you say?”

“Heh …nothing...”

“How do you know how much your ring was?”

“ I thought you said you didn’t hear me?”

“ I heard…I just wanted to make sure that’s what you said…now how do you know how much I paid?”

“Um…ok…I was bored one day and I decided to look it up…

Not that it matters or anything… I was just curious…that’s all…”

“You could have just asked me… I would have told you”

“Bull shit…”

“Yea…you’re right…it is”

Justin slapped Brian in the arm and turned back just in time to see someone cross in front of the car.

“Brian! Watch out!” he yelled just a moment too late.

Brian slammed on the breaks, but not before the person in front of them was hit.

“Dammit!”

Justin got out of the jeep and ran to see if to person was ok.

He gasped at what he saw.

“Holy shit Brian! You hit Ethan!” Justin yelled from the front of the car.

Brian jumped out of the drivers seat to see Ethan…The Ethan just about to get up off the pavement.

Even thought his face was shocked, inside Brian couldn’t help but laugh at the irony…

They were doing wedding chores and they happen to hit Justin’s ex boyfriend with the car…

Ahh poetic justice…it’s a damn good thing…

“Oh my god…Ethan! Are you ok?” Justin asked as he helped Ethan off the ground.

Then something hit him….

No… it wasn’t another car…and shame on you for thinking that…

It was the fact that he was helping Ethan…

The guy that lied to him and cheated on him and was just a plain old fucking asshole...no pun intended…to him…

When Ethan was about half way off the ground, Justin let go of his hand and dropped him flat on his ass.

“Fuckin asshole…come on Brian…let’s go…” he hopped into the driver’s seat of the car and motioned for a shocked Brian to get in the passenger seat.

He revved the engine and slammed on the gas pedal and was heading straight for Ethan.

“See you in hell motherfuc--”  
“Justin! Wake up…we’re here…”

Justin’s eyes fluttered open to see that they were outside the cake shop.

“Brian? Where’s Ethan?” he asked…

“ Ethan? How the hell would I know?”

It was a dream, Justin thought right before he burst out laughing.

“What is so funny?” Brian asked…

“You are never gonna believe this….”

\--  
Hahahaha!! This was part one of chapter 13... I figured I would give you guys a little something funny before I started w/ the shmoop again…hope you like and chapter 13 part 2 should be up in a few days…


	4. Growing Pains

“ I can’t believe I was dreaming about Ethan…

I haven’t thought about him in like…forever…” said Justin as they walked into the cake store.

“Pre wedding jitters?” asked Brian, eyeing all the white flour and sugar that surrounded him.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna go for a flourless, sugarless…. cake….” he looked over and saw Justin give him a look of what-are-you-thinking-no-way-in-hell.

“Ok…guess not…”

“Damn right…” Justin replied.

Justin looked into the cases and saw the caked heaved with butter cream frosting and icing flowers.

They were all so delicious looking, he didn’t think he could decide…

He looked over at Brian who looked like he was contemplating the fat content of one of the cakes in the display case.

Double chocolate with extra frosting and icing flowers…its his wedding day…he can stop with the carb counting for a day…Justin thought.

They asked the woman behind the counter for samples of the caked they liked and finally decided on a yellow cake with chocolate butter-cream frosting.

Brian and Justin walked out of the cake shop and hopped into the car.

While they were on their way back to the loft Justin reached over and grabbed Brian’s hand.

Brian gripped it back without saying a word.

They were both thinking the same thing….

What did I do to deserve you?

They just look at each other and smile and Brian turns his attention back to the road.

They didn’t need words really…

They had been together so long that it was like they knew what each other was thinking.

“So do you wanna…” Brian started as they got out of the car…

“Order Thai?” Justin finished, “ sure…sounds good.

We have to…”

“Call Em…I know…”Brian said.

They had a week until they said their vows.

Brian and Justin had decided to write their own vows…

So once Justin had gone to sleep, Brian sat down at the table with a pen and paper and began to write. He sat there for three hours and all he wrote was Justin…I love you.

He gave up on writing and passed it off on the fact that he was too tired.

Brian climbed the stairs and got into bed next to Justin.

Moments later he was asleep, with Justin curled up next to him.

Three days later…

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T FIND THE RINGS???” Brian yelled over the phone…

The engraving people had called to tell them that there had been a mix up with the rings and they were lost.

“Do you know how much those fucking things cost me? Yea…that’s right you fucking don’t…”

As Brian was yelling into the phone, Justin walked into the loft.

“Brian...what the fuck are you yelling at?” he asked.

“ The fucking engraving people lost are rings” Brian replied.

“WHAT?” Justin yelled as he grabbed the phone from Brian’s hand…

“ Please tell me that I didn’t just hear from my fiancé that you fucking people lost our rings…YOU LOST MY FUCKING RINGS?? LISTEN BUDDY…EITHER YOU FIND THEM OR I WILL COME DOWN THERE AND PERSONALLY TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB AND THEN KICK YOUR ASS WITH YOUR OWN FUCKING FOOT!” Justin screamed into the phone.

“Ok…no more caffeine for you,” Brian said as he pried the phone from Justin's hand.

“Listen…you heard what he said…find my damn rings!” Brian said before he hung up

Justin stood by Brian clenching his hands and staring into space…

“Justin?” Brian said, waving his hand in front of Justin's face.

Justin took a deep breath and turned to face Brian.

In what seemed like a matter of seconds, Justin's expression went from angry to sad.

He flung himself into Brian's arms and started to cry.

“Oh my god…Brian! What if everything starts going wrong…like it did for Mel and Lindz?” he said between sobs.

“Justin…nothing…well nothing else…is going to go wrong.” Brian said just as the phone rang.

“See…I bet that’s the ring people now and they’re gonna tell us that they found the rings…hello? Oh…oh…Em…lemmie call you back. Um Justin?” Brian said with a worried look on his face.

Justin looked up at Brian and felt his eyes start to water.

“What now?” Justin asked as he grabbed a tissue.

“It’s the food…the chef got food poisoning from the food he was making for us… Emmet said that he used some bad meat or something…so the caterers said that they couldn’t make the food….”

Justin hung his head and wiped his eyes with the tissue.

He looked up at Brian and got up off the chair he was sitting on.

He gave Brian a little kiss on the cheek and climbed the stairs to get into bed.

It’s gonna be a long four days…Brian thought as he turned out the light.

Four days later…

Today was the day…

They were getting married…

It had been a long four days…the engraving people had found the rings…

But they had engraved them wrong…

unfortunately…

they were not Justine and Brian…but Tiffany’s replaced the ring at no extra charge…

They had gotten someone else to prepare the food and nothing else had gone wrong..

Brian stood in his hotel room and looked at himself in the mirror.

He was dressed in his tan suit that matched Justin’s, and his hair was perfect as usual…

While he was doing a last check, Michael came into the room.

“If someone had told me sixteen years ago that you would be standing in a hotel room, waiting for your wedding to start I would have told them they were insane…” he said as Brian turned around.

“ And I would have told them to go fuck themselves….” Brian replied.

They crossed the room and gave each other a hug.

“ Hey…my stomach kinda feels funny Mikey…got any Tums?” Brian asked with a smirk.

“Heh…you know what Tums is spell backwards?” Mikey replied…

“SMUT!” they both said in unison as they laughed.

“You ready?” Michael asked…

“Yea…I think I really am…” Brian replied as they walked out of the room.

Three rooms away…

“Justin?” said Daphne as she walked through the door.

“Yea Daph…I’m in here…” Justin said from the bathroom.

“ What are you doing?” Daphne asked as she leaned against the bathroom doorframe and watched Justin play with his hair.  
“It looks fine Justin…stop messing with it…”

“ I know it looks fine…but it needs to be perfect…you only get married to Brian Kinney once…it needs to be perfect…”

“It is…and if you don’t stop messing with it you’ll fuck it up.”

“ Do I really look ok?”

Daphne looked at Justin from head to toe.

He was in the suit that matched Brian’s and his hear...as always was perfect….

“You look great…now get you ass down there and get married!”

Justin hugged Daphne before walking out of the room with her.

\--  
Brian stood at the alter waiting for Justin to appear at the doors of the room.

They had decided against a church wedding, so Em had found a hall and had decorated it with flowing fabrics and flowers that would not upset Justin's allergies.

The music started to play and Justin appeared arm in arm with Debbie and Jennifer.

Brian felt a sting behind his eyes as he watched Justin walk up beside him.

He smiled at Justin and Justin smiles back as he took Brian’s hand and turned to face the officiant.

“Welcome friends and family…” she starts, “ today we are here to witness the joining of Brian and Justin.”

“FINALLY!” Debbie yells from the crowd.

Brian and Justin turn around and laugh along with everyone else.

“ Brian and Justin have decided to write their own vows…Brian…”

“Justin…

If someone had told me sixteen years ago that I would be standing here with someone I love more than life itself, getting married… I would have never believed them.

But you changed that all when you came into my life that night.

You not only changed my life, but you changed me.

You changed me from someone who refused to love anyone but himself into the person I am today…

I’m better when I’m with you.

You chipped away the layers around my heart and made a place for yourself there.

And even when I told you just to leave me alone, you never gave up on me.

You knew that I could love you the way that you loved me…

Justin… I love you with all my heart and I will be the happiest person for the rest of my life now that you’re with me.”(Yea…its ooc…but its my fic dammit! I can make them say whatever I want so HA! : Sticks tongue out: lol)

Justin took out a tissue and wiped Brian’s eyes with it.

“Justin…now it’s your turn”

“ Brian…

I love you…

I had my vows all written down…but I tore them up…

They were just words on a piece of paper…

And no words could ever express how much I love you.

You are my life and I never want to be with anyone other than you.

And even though we’ve had our little bumps in the road, we always find our way back to each other…

If there were ever any two people more meant to be together it would be us.

We may be total opposites, but we make up two parts of the same person…

We are soul mates and we will be until the day we die.

I love you Brian…”

“May I have the rings please?” asked the officiant.

Gus walked to up with the rings and handed them to her.

“Brian repeat after me as you place the ring on Justin’s finger.

Just like this ring is a circle that never ends, my love for you will last forever.”

“Just like this ring is a circle that never ends, my love for you will last forever,” Brian said as he placed the ring on Justin’s finger.

“ And Justin, please repeat after me as you place the ring on Brian’s finger…

Just like this ring is a circle that never ends, my love for you will last forever”

“Just like this ring is a circle that never ends, my love for you will last forever,” Justin said as he slid the ring on Brian’s finger.

“With the power vested in me…you are now married in the eyes of god and your family and friends…you may kiss each other.”

Brain put his hand on the back of Justin’s neck and pulled him into a kiss.

All of their family and friends got up and clapped for them as they kissed.

When they finally pulled apart, they turned around to face everyone.

They walked down the aisle and out of the hall followed by their family and friends.

“See asshole…it wasn’t that hard…” Debbie said as she hugged Brian, “I’m so proud of you both”

As everyone came out to congratulate them, Emmet appeared next to them and told them that a limo was waiting outside to take them to the reception….

They went outside to see a limo with blacked out windows waiting for them…

They got inside and were off the secret reception location.

When the limo finally stopped, both Brian and Justin gasped at where they were.

Babylon…

Emmet was standing at the top of the stairs with a change of club clothes for each of them.

“You have got to be fucking KIDDING me!” said Justin as he ran up the stairs.

“ I figured what place is better for a wedding reception than the place that brought you together…”Emmet replied as he handed them their clothes.

“Well in that case,” Brian said with a smile, “ we should be over on that corner…but whatever….”

They changed into their club clothes, Brian in his black tank top and jeans and Justin in a tight little tank and cargo pants.

When they came through the doors of the back room when the DJ announced them as Mr. and Mr. Kinney-Taylor…. everyone had arrived and they were all clapping for them.

Some were still in their wedding clothes, and some were in club clothes, wearing Rage masks.

“So this is Babylon,” Gus said as his fathers walked over to him.

“Oh…this isn’t the real Babylon…you have a few more years until you’re ready for that, Sonnyboy…” Brian said as he threw an arm over his son’s shoulder.

The party was going, the DJ was playing all their favorite techno songs, including lets hear it for the boy, then it was time for their first dance.

Daphne appeared at Justin’s side and put a white silk scarf around Brian neck.

Brian smiled and said,“ you look hot tonight Daphne…I’d fuck you…Mind if I borrow you date?”

Brian took Justin’s hand and led him to the middle of the dance floor as Save The Last Dance For Me played over the speakers.

They danced to the same song they danced to the night Brian had realized that maybe this kid was something different…

And maybe he shouldn’t just abandon him like he usually did…

As the song ended and he looked at Justin who was smiling his Sunshine smile back at him he realized that he did, in fact, make the right choice….


	5. Growing Pains

Brian looked down at the sleeping form sitting in the seat next to him. He smoothed his hand over Justin’s hair and kissed him on the top of his head. 

They were married…well not legally…but as far as they were concerned they were. 

So here they were. Sitting on the airplane, coming back from their honeymoon in Ibiza. It had been a week in paradise, all planned by the master party planner, Emmett. After their wedding reception, Em had handed them two plane tickets and shoved them into a limo without telling either of them where they were going.

When they got out of the limo at the airport, they went to the ticket counter and checked in.

“Ok Mr. and Mr. Kinney-Taylor. You’re all set. Have a wonderful flight.” Said the girl behind the counter.

“Um…thank you.” Justin says as he grabs his ticket from Brian. “But,” he whispers to Brian, “ where the fuck are we go--“ Justin gasped and screamed” HOLY FUCK! WE’RE GOING TO IBIZA!!!” right in Brian’s ear.

“Jesus Justin,” Brian said as he rubbed his ear, “ did you have to scream it like that?”

“I’m just so excited. How the fuck did Emmett get the money for a trip like this? Did you know we were going?”

“I just wrote the checks for all this stuff…he said that there needed to be a honeymoon fund so I said go for it. He never said anything about where he was sending us. Now lets go or we’re gonna miss out flight.”

When they landed in Ibiza, there was a limo driver waiting to take them to their hotel, right on the beach. They spent the entire two weeks that they were there partying, drinking, sleeping, oh, and of course, fucking their brains out. 

 

Justin woke up as he heard the pilot’s voice over the loud speaker,

“Ladies and gentlemen. We will be landing in Pittsburgh in about ten minutes. The temperature is a chilly 45 degrees but the sun is shining. Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing and thank you for flying with us today.”

“45 degrees? Brian!! I wanna be back in Ibiza…I bet its warm there.” Justin said as he hooked his seatbelt on. 

“I know Sunshine…. but we had to come home sometime.” Brian said as he wrapped his arm around Justin.

As soon as they got off the plane, they were nearly knocked over by Debbie who wrapped them in a bear hug.

“Oh! I missed you both so much! So…what’d ya bring me?” she said as soon as she let them go.

“Jesus Deb,” Brian said,” can we get off the plane first? Maybe even go home?”

“We have presents for everybody. They’re all packed away in our bags but we’ll be over tonight to hand them out.” Justin said as he grabbed his bag from the conveyor belt.

Once they had their bags, Brian, Justin, and Debbie hopped into a cab and went back to the loft. The cab dropped Brian and Justin off then drove down the street to bring Deb home.

\--

Justin dropped the suitcases just inside the door and sighed.

“Oh my god…it is so good to be home.” He said as he walked over to the answering machine.

You have thirty-three new messages it said as he pushed the button.

“Jesus…they all knew we were on vacation. They couldn't wait to call?” Brian said as he walked up behind Justin, kissing his neck.

“I guess not.” Justin said as he pressed the button to listen to the messages.

Brain? Justin? It’s Em. I guess you’re not back yet. Call me when you get this. I want to know if you liked the vacation I picked out for you…if you even saw the outside of the room. Bye sweeties.

“One down, thirty- two to go.” Brian said as he walked into the bedroom.

Justin sat down by the phone and went through the messages. Most of them were telemarketers and their friends wondering how their vacation was.

Justin? Its Daphne. I want details o the honeymoon…and I don’t mean the suite you stayed in. you obviously can’t see this but I’m winking now. Haha…call me!

 

One by one, Justin wrote down the people who had called.

\--

Brian was watching TV when he heard Justin gasp. 

“Justin? Whatsa matter?” he asked as he walked over to him.

Justin just looked at him as he pressed the repeat button.

Justin. Its dad. We need to talk. Bye.

“Fuck….”


	6. Growing Pains

Justin sat, staring at the phone. He was desperately trying to decide whether to call his dad back or let the fucker wait forever.

He sighed as he picked up the phone and dialed the number.

“Hello?” said the voice at the other end of the phone. Justin wasn’t surprised that it was a woman’s voice instead of his fathers.

“Hi. Can I speak to my –I mean Craig Taylor please?” he asked.

“May I ask who’s calling?” 

“Just tell him its Justin.”

“Hold on one minute.” The voice said. 

Justin wasn’t surprised that she didn’t recognize the name. Craig probably hadn't even mentioned he had a son, let alone a gay son.

“Justin?” His father had finally come to the phone after about five minutes of waiting. 

“Yea dad. Its me.”

“Ok. Lets get right to the reason I called. You’re married?”

“Yea dad. To Brian.”

“I don’t want to hear about that. How could you marry him? Its not legal for you to get married here.”

“No shit. We had a civil ceremony.”

“I can’t believe this Justin…”

“What’s not to believe? The fact that I’m 33 years old and can make my own decisions? That I decided to marry the person I love?”

“You don’t love him…”

“It’s been 16 years dad! Believe me…I love him more than anything in my life.”

“ But it’s not legal!”

“It doesn’t matter! All that matters is that we love each other. Is this all you called me for? To argue with me that my marriage wasn’t real?”

“ No Justin. I wanted to see if it was actually true.”

“Well it is. Bye dad. And don’t bother calling back.”

Justin slammed the phone down on the desk.

“DAMMIT!” he yelled as he sank to the floor. He put his head in his hands and began to cry. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Brian sat down next to him and pulled Justin into his arms, smoothing his hand over Justin's hair and planting tiny kissed on the top of his head.

“Why does he do this to me? I don’t understand how everything I talk to him I end up feeling like crap afterwards.” Justin said as he cried.

“ I don’t know. I wish I could tell you,” Brian said as he smoothed his hand over Justin’s hair. 

“ Why can’t he just accept it?”

“I don't know.”

“ And why the fuck do I keep taking this shit from him. Why can’t I learn?”

“That I do know. Because he’s your father and you still think that one-day he’ll come to that door and he’ll welcome you back into his life with a smile and open arms. But deep down inside you know that it’ll never happen and you don't want to accept it. That’s why you put yourself through this.”

Brian put his hand under Justin’s chin and lifted his face to meet his gaze.

“Justin. Listen to me. Fuck ‘em. If he can’t be happy for you then fuck ‘em. I told you that a long time ago. And I know you don't want to forget him but what else can you do? Keep taking this shit from him? You can’t keep doing that.”

Justin looked up at Brian. He was right. Justin wiped the tears from his cheek and began to stand up.

“Fuck ‘em.”

\--

It had been about a week since the whole Justin-Dad fiasco and he was feeling a lot better about his decision to say fuck it and go on with his life.

“Justin. We can send him an e-card. We don't need to buy him a gift.” 

Brian was wining about getting Ted a birthday gift.

“ We are not sending him an e-card. So shut up and walk.”

After about three hours of walking…who knew the man was so hard to shop for? They finally decided on something and walked towards the food court. On the way there they passed the toy store. Justin looked inside and saw all the kids playing and it reminded him of when Gus was that age. He smiled and kept walking with Brian, who by now was pissed and wining like said children in the store.

Justin sighed and said, “fine. We got the gift. We can go home now.”

A smile of relief spread across Brian’s face as he grabbed Justin's hand and dragged him out of the mall.  
\--

Justin was sitting at the table wrapping Ted’s gift when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it, “ Brian said before he could get up. He heard the loft door open and then Brian let out a grunt.

What the fuck he thought as he turned around to see Gus wrapping his father in a bear hug.

“Jesus Christ Sonnyboy, you spend too much time around Deb,” Brian said as he pried Gus from around his waist. Gus passed by his father ad came over to give Justin a hello hug. He had forgotten that Gus was going to be staying with them for a couple of days.

“ Hey little man. How are you.” Justin asked as he hugged Gus.

“When are you going to stop calling me that? I’m not little anymore…I’m taller than you.” Gus replied.

Justin watched and a hand gripped Gus’s shoulder.

“ You may be taller than him, but you’re still smaller than me…little man” Brian said with a smirk.

Justin laughed as Gus playfully punched his dad in the arm. Brian reciprocated by playing hurt and then grabbing Gus’s arm and holding it behind his back.

“I give! I give!” Gus said through his laughter.

“That’s what I thought.” Brian said with a smile.

“Truce?”

Brian held out his hand for Gus to shake on it. Gus shook his hand but before he went to his room he gave Brian one more shove and tore ass down the stairs with Brian following him.

Justin laughed and went back to wrapping the present. He loved to watch Brian with his son. It was a side of him that not many people got to see. He had always thought it would be nice to have that kind of relationship.

Then it hit him…

The kids in the toy store…

Brian with Gus….

He wanted to be a dad.

\--

Later that night…

Justin sat in bed and watched as Brian undressed. 

“Brian?” he said as Brian walked over to the bed.

“Hmm?” 

“ I want a baby.”


	7. Growing Pains

After Brian came to, his first question was…

“What did you say??” 

“ I said I want a baby.” Justin said from his position on the bed.

“Ok…first you can help me up and then we can talk about this.”

Justin stepped down off the bed and helped Brian get to his feet. Then they both sat back down.

“What do you mean you want a baby? When did that happen?”

“ I don't know. I guess I just realized it that I was always kind of jealous of your relationship with Gus and I wanted to have that with a kid of my own.”

“Wow Justin. I guess I never really thought about having more kids. Are you sure?”

“Yea…. I’m totally sure. I’m ready for this. I want to have kids of my own.”

Brian took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. 

“Lets do it.”

“ Oh my god Brian! Really?”

“Yea…lets have a baby.”

“Oh my god Brian! I love you so much!” Justin yelled as he threw his arms around Brian’s neck.

“There’s only one problem. Who are we going to ask to carry it?”

“ I know just the person…”

 

Justin paced around the loft for a half an hour before the buzzer rang.

‘It’s me’ said the voice on the speaker.

“Ok…come on up.”

“Justin. Calm down. She’ll say yes. Don't worry.” Brian tried to reassure Justin as they waited.

“I know…. but what is she doesn't? Then what are we going to do. I don't want to have my kid with anyone else.” Justin said as he sat down on one of the island stools.

“She’ll say yes. Don't worry.” Brian leaned down to kiss Justin just as there was a knock on the door.

Justin jumped up from the chair and ran over to the door. He took a deep breath and slid open the door. There she was. The maybe future mother of his child.

“Hey Justin.” She said as she reached over to hug him.

“Hey Daph.” Justin replied as he pulled her into a hug.

“ I came over right away. What’s up? Hey Brian! I figured you would be at work.”

“Hey Daphne. Why don't we all sit down?”

“Oookkkk…. what’s going on here?”

They all walked over to the table and sat down. Brian sat next to Justin with Daphne across the table from them.

“Ok…” Justin started, “ well we have some good news. We decided that we’re going to have a baby.”

“Oh my god!! That’s great!! I’m so happy for you guys! I’m gonna be an aunt!” Daphne was beaming from across the table.

“An aunt? I…well we were kind of hoping that you would settle for mom….”Justin said as he carefully watched Daphne’s face go from excited to confused.

“You want me to be the mother?” she asked.

“Yea. Daph. We’ve known each other since we were kids and since this is going to be my kid, I told Brian that I wouldn’t want anyone to be the mother other than you.”

“Wow...I…I don't know that to say….”

“Yes? Yes would be good…” Justin said hopefully.

“Oh…oh my god...yes…of course I’ll do it!”

Both Justin and Daphne jumped up from their chairs and ran to hug each other.  
“I’m gonna be a mommy!!!” she yelled.

“Oh my god…thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me…to us.”

Once the excitement died down Daphne had one question for them.

“Sooo…how are we going to do this…. I mean…are we gonna…you know?” Daphne asked apprehensively.

“Oh…um…no it’s gonna be artificial. I’ll give you a call some time next week to let you know when our appointment at the clinic is.” Justin replied.

Ok…um…I guess that’s it then…um…I gotta go…I’ll see you guys later.”

Both Brian and Justin got up and walked her to the door. 

“Thanks again Daph. Bye.” 

As soon as the loft door closed, Justin leapt into Brian's arms, giving him a hug and a deep kiss.

“We’re gonna have a baby…”

One week later…

“Justin…you’ve been in there for almost an hour. Come on…we’re gonna be late!” Brian yelled as he pounded on the bathroom door.

Justin came out of the bathroom freshly showered and glowing with anticipation…or maybe it was the fact that he hadn't gotten laid in three days on doctors orders that he “conserve” it for the sample.

“Ok…let’s go.” He said as he grabbed Brian’s hand and dragged him towards the door.

Just before they got to the door, Brian pulled him into a kiss.

“ What was that for?” Justin asked

“Just because I love you.”

At the clinic…

When Brian and Justin walked into the clinic waiting room, they saw that Daphne was already there and waiting patiently for them.

“Hey guys…” she said as she got up to greet them.  
“Hey Daph. You ready for this?” Justin asked as they sat down.

“Yea…I think so. What about you guys?” 

Brian and Justin looked at each other and laughed. “Yea. We’re ready.”

“Kinney-Taylor, Justin?” the nurse called from the doorway.

Justin jumped out of his seat and hugged both Brian and Daphne before he followed the nurse through the door.

\----  
Daphne watched Brian’s leg bounce up and down. He was nervous. She put her hand on his knee to stop it.

“ Can you stop that please? You’re making me even more nervous than I already am.”

Brian looked at Daphne’s hand and then back at her. He stopped moving his knee and began shredding the cover to the magazine he was pretending to read.

Finally, about an hour later Justin emerged with the doctor. 

“Ok Miss Chanders and Mr. Kinney –Taylor. Why don't you both follow me back to the exam room and we’ll get started.”

Daphne and Brian got out of the chairs and followed behind the doctor and Justin to the exam room.

“How’d it go?” Brian asked as he walked beside Justin.

“The same way it goes every time Brian…although I do wish you had been there doing it for me.” Justin replied with a smirk. Brian put his hand behind Justin’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. 

“Can you guys stop making out? We have a baby to make…” Daphne said as she poked her head of the exam room.

They took a deep breath and walked into the room closing the door behind them.

Three Weeks Later…

“ I can’t wait! I have to look now!” Justin said as he reached for the covered test.

Daphne grabbed his hand and he was about to pull the napkin off.

“This is the last time…I’m taking the test into the bathroom and locking the door. I told you the last three times that I would do it and I mean it!” Daphne picked up the test and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Justin came back and slumped on the couch next to Brian.

“How can you not be nervous?” he asked as he watched Brian reading a book. 

“Who says I’m not nervous? I am…but I know that a watched pot never boils so I waited over here for the timer to ring.” Brian said as he closed his book.

Bing!

Brian and Justin looked at each other just as Daphne stepped out of the bathroom with a sad expression on her face.

“Daph? What’s wrong? Did it work?” Justin asked.

Daphne started to cry and then she said, “ its just that I’m going to have to work out so long after the baby is born to get my figure back!!”

“OH MY GOD!!! YOU’RE PREGNANT!” Justin yelled as he hugged Daphne.

Brian ran up to the both of them and wrapped them in a hug.

“we’re gonna have a baby….”


	8. Growing Pains

Authors note…I know nothing about having a baby or pregnancy except for the common sense stuff so bear with me on the details k? thanx

* * *

One month…

BLEH!

“Daph? You ok in there?” Justin asked through the bathroom door.

Daphne swung the door open and stared at Justin with a you-have-to-be-fucking-kidding-me look on her face.

“I’m fine and dandy…stupid question Justin. I’ve been puking for the last week. I don't think I’ve eaten anything other than saltines since I found out I was pregnant.”

It was a stupid question. Justin knew that Daphne hadn't been feeling well for a while. She had really bad morning sickness. 

Why the fuck do they call it morning sickness if she pukes round the clock? He thought as he helped her to her bed.

Justin watched as Daphne slumped down on the bed, remembering not to lie on her stomach. She grabbed the pack of saltines from the nightstand and began eating. Justin went into the kitchen and grabbed another glass of ginger ale and brought it back to her.

“Thanks Jus. If you don't mind…I kinda wanna be alone to puke in peace right now. Thanks for coming over and taking such good care of me.” She said as she started to get up to walk Justin to the door.

“Where do you think you’re going? You’re staying right here. I know my way out. I’ll call you later.”

Daphne looked at him and smirked.

“Ok…I’m gonna call you in an hour. I call because I care…I swear.” Justin hugged Daphne and walked out of the room. Daphne counted backwards from five and as if on cue, right when she got to one, Justin poked his head back in the room.

“Are you sure you’re ok by yourself? Because I can stay…really…”

“I’m fine…leave now,” Daphne said as she got out of bed and closed the bedroom door. She stood and listened to Justin shuffle around outside the door, trying to decide if he should come back in or just leave. Finally he walked away from the door and she heard the apartment door close. 

“Justin. I know you’re still here. I’m not stupid. I’m fine…we’re fine. Now go or you’re gonna be late for work!”  
She waited a minute until he finally said, “ damn…you’re good. Ok...I’m going for real this time. I’ll call you later.”

After she was sure that Justin had really left, she went back over to the bed and lay down again. She put a hand on her stomach and talked to the baby.

“You’ll get used to him. But believe you me kid…its gonna be a looong nine months…”

At the diner…

“Excuse me. But I didn’t order this. Hello? Hey you!” yelled a very unhappy guy in the booth Justin had just left.

“What? Oh…I’m sorry. I’ll get your order for you right no-- ” Justin said right before Deb cut him off. 

“Don’t worry about it Sunshine. I got it.” She said as she hurried past him, tray in hand. “Here you go honey. Sorry for the mix up. Justin. Sit. Now.”

She had that motherly time-for-a-lecture tone in her voice so Justin did as he was told and sat down. Once she had dropped off her orders, she came back with a cup of coffee for and sat down in the seat across from him.

“So Sunshine. What's up with you lately? You’ve been messing up orders left and right. What the fuck is going on?” she asked as she chomped on her gum.

“ Nothings wrong Deb. I’ve just been a little pre occupied lately. I’ve got a lot of things on my mind right now.” he answered. 

Justin didn’t mention anything about the baby because he and Brian had decided that they would tell them when they got the first ultrasound pictures. They had an appointment that was right around Deb’s birthday and what better present could they give her than telling her she was going to be a grandma?

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“No. Its ok. I’m fine. I think I just need to rest for today. Can I take off early. I’ll work late another day to make up for it.”

“Take all the time you need Sunshine. Feel better honey.”

“ Thanks Deb. I’ll see you later.”

Month two…

“Chanders, Daphne? “ called the nurse from the entrance of the waiting room; “ the doctor will see you now.”

Daphne stood up and put her hands on her stomach. She had the beginnings of a little baby bump and Justin stood up to put his hands over hers. 

“ Will the baby’s father be coming in with you?” asked the nurse.

Daphne turned to Brian and Justin and smiled.

“Yes…they will.”

“Ok then. Follow me.” Said the nurse as she led them down the hallway.

Daphne lay down on the exam table and waited for the doctor to come into the room.

“So are you sure you want to find out the sex of the baby? “ Justin asked 

“ Yea. I’m totally sure. I always said that when I had kids I wanted to know what they were going to be. Plus I don't think I can wait nine months to find out.” She answered with a laugh.

“Hello there. I’m Doctor Kelly. So are we ready to have a look at your baby?” said the doctor as she entered the room.

“Yes.” They all replied in unison.

“Ok. Then lets get started. Daphne, I’m going to put a gel on your stomach so I can use the ultrasound machine ok?”

“Ok.” Daphne said as she pulled up her shirt. The doctor squirted the gel onto her stomach and she gasped.

“ Oh…haha...its cold.” She said.

“Oh. Don't worry. It’ll warm up.”

When the doctor said that Brian and Justin looked at each other and smiled. Justin reached over and put his hand over Brian’s gripping it tightly.

“Ok...here we go.” Dr. Kelly said as she put the ultrasound tool on Daphne’s stomach.

Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of the baby’s heartbeat. It was the most beautiful sound that any of them had ever heard.   
“Ok. Heres a leg. And that’s an arm. And…would you like to know the sex of your baby?” she asked.

“Yes we would.” Answered Daphne.

“Ok…congratulations. It’s a little girl.”

“Oh my god. It’s a girl. We’re gonna have a –” Justin was cut off mid sentence when he heard the tone of the doctors voice change.

“Oh…”

“Oh what? Is there something wrong with the baby?” asked Daphne worriedly.

“ No. The baby is perfectly healthy. And so is her brother.”

“Her what?” asked Justin and Daphne.

“Her brother. See here. Two heartbeats. Four arms, four legs. Congrats. Its twins.”

“oh my god…we’re having babies…..”

* * *

Just a short chapter…I wanted to give you guys something…but I promise there will be more soon.


	9. Growing Pains

Heyy guys…sorry I took so long to write this chapter. I had a major computer meltdown and lost all my stories, including the chapter that was in progress for this story. But here it is…finally…lol...enjoy

* * *

After they left the clinic, Justin couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he tried.

“Twins…I cant believe its twins.” He said as they drove Daphne back to her apartment.

“Believe me Justin, neither can I. “she chimed in from the back seat.

“ That means we need two cribs, two changing tables, two high-” high chairs was what Justin was about to say before both Brian and Daphne cut him off mid sentence.

“Justin,” Brian said, “We have seven more months to think about this kind of stuff. Stop queening out.”

“ I can’t help it Brian. I’m just so excited.” Justin replied before he turned in his seat to talk to Daphne.

“ Everything ok back there?” he asked.

“For the fifth time Justin. I’m fine. Do what Brian said and stop queening out.” She periled with a smile on her face. Justin noticed that since they left the doctors office, her hand hasn’t left her stomach.

When they arrived at Daphne’s apartment, Justin hopped out of the car but with some protest, let Daphne go inside by herself, telling her that they would pick her up to go to Deb’s around five that night. It was Deb’s birthday and they were going to tell everyone about the baby—babies.

After they got home, Justin looked at the picture frames he had gotten for the ultrasound pictures. Around the outside of the frame it said WE LOVE OUR GRANDMA. It was the perfect way to tell Debbie and Justin’s mom. They were going to stop over to Jen’s condo before hearing over to Debbie’s.

\-------------  
“Hi honey. I wasn’t expecting you to come over. Hello Brian…and Daphne. What a surprise.” A very surprised Jennifer said when she opened the door.

“We were on our way over to Deb’s for dinner and I had something to drop of here so we swung by on our way.” Justin explained as a smile spread across his face.  
“Well, come on in. have a seat.”

“Mom…why don’t you sit down. We have something for you.” Justin said as he sat on the couch.

 

“For me? Ok…what is it?” she said as she sat next to Justin.

He handed her a wrapped package and watched her face as she opened it. Jennifer turned over the frame in her hand and gasped at what she read. 

“Oh my god Justin! I’m going to be a grandma??” she said. Justin could hear that she was on the verge of tears when she said this so he grabbed a Kleenex. 

“Yup. You’re gonna be a grandma and I’m gonna be a mommy.” Daphne chimed in from the chair on the other side of the couch.

“Oh my god! I’m gonna be a grandma!” Jen yelled as she jumped up off the couch and hugged all three of them.

“Oh. I’m so happy for all of you. But when did this happen? How far along are you?”

“A little over two months ago.” Daphne answered.

“Tonight is Deb’s birthday, which by the way, you’re welcome to come along, and we have a picture for her too. This is how we were going to tell everyone.” Justin said.

“Just let me get my coat and I’ll be ready.” 

“Ok mom. We’ll be in the car.”

“If she was that excited, “ Daphne said as she ran her hand over her belly, “ can you imagine what Deb’s reaction is gonna be like?”

“The only thing I can imagine is that it’s gonna be very, very loud and I can imagine some swears being thrown in there for good measure.” Brian answered as Jennifer got into the car and they drove off.

\-----------  
“Happy birthday Debbie!”

Everyone clapped as Deb blew out the candles on her cake.

Once the cake was served, everyone moved into the living room for presents. She tore through them pretty quickly and then it was time for Brian and Justin to give her their gift.  
“ This is from me, Brian and Daphne” Justin said as he handed Debbie the wrapped gift.

“ This is all I get from the three of you? It’s pretty thin. Haha. I’m just kidding. Thank you honey.” She joked as she tore open the paper.

Everyone watched as she flipped the frame over to reveal what was written on the front of it. She almost dropped the frame when she read it.

“ WE LOVE OUR GRANDMA??????” she said with a huge smile on her face.

There was a chorus of what’s and huh’s as everyone rushed over to look at the picture. 

“Daphne’s pregnant…with twins. Happy birthday.” Justin said, a huge sunshine smile on his face.

“ Oh Sunshine!” Debbie said as she got up and hugged Justin first, then Brian then Daphne. 

“I’m gonna be a grandma! We’re gonna be grandmas!” she said as she rushed over to Jennifer and hugged her. 

The rest of the night was spent talking about the babies.

“Honey, you are gonna have one hell of a baby shower when I’m through with it,” Emmett told Daphne as he placed a hand on her stomach.

“Wow daddy… I can’t believe you kept this a secret for so long.” Gus said as he hugged Justin. “You can barely keep the secret of what dad got me for my birthday, let alone something like this.”

“Oh shut up.” Justin replied with a smirk.

Before they knew it, it was 11 at night and everyone was leaving. 

“ Congratulations again you guys. I know you’ll make great parents.” Debbie said as Brian, Justin, Daphne and Jen left.

“Thanks Deb. Happy birthday.”

“It’s been the happiest one ever.”

Three months…

“Um…Daph…that was the last Pop Tart.” Justin yelled from the kitchen.

“Justin. I just bought a whole box yesterday. That cant be the last one.” Daphne replied.  
Justin came out of the kitchen waving the empty box.

“ You ate them all. That was the last one.”

“Oh…well…ok then. I guess I’ll just have to get some more.”

Daphne looked down at her tummy. She had a little baby bump already and she was always running her hands over it. Justin came to sit next to her on the couch.

“I’ll get you some more Daph. Don’t worry about it. How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I’m pretty good…but I’m either sick or hungry. Its crazy. One minute I’m puking and the next I’m eating a whole jar of pickles.” She replied.

“Wow…that is crazy. But you’re doing ok…the babies are ok?”

“Yes Justin. They’re fine. I was reading online that I should be able to feel them move within the next few weeks…” Daphne said as she once again ran her hand over her stomach.

“I can’t wait for that.” Justin said, “ that’s gotta be so weird. Feeling them move inside your stomach.”

“Well…we’ll see about that soon.” Daphne said, laughing.

“Ok. Daph. I gotta go now. But I’ll call you later. Don’t forget to call me and tell me when the next ultrasound is. I wanna be there and so does Brian.”

“ I wont forget Justin. I’ll see you later.”

She hugged Justin and shut the door behind him.

She wandered back over to the couch after she grabbed the jar of pickles from the fridge and settled in for an A Baby Story marathon on TLC.

Four months…

“Oh my god!” Daphne yells from her seat on Brian and Justin’s sofa.

“What?!” both Brian and Justin answer in unison as they headed towards her.

“ The babies just moved! Oh my god! This is the first time they’ve moved around…”

She looked up and smiled at the two men. Justin noticed that she had sort of a pregnant glow lately. 

“There it is again!” she said as she grabbed Justin’s hand, “feel right there!”

Justin put his hand where Daphne told him to put it but felt nothing.

“It stopped.” He said as he moved his hand away.

“Sorry Jus. Maybe the next time you feel it.”

Two weeks later…

“Justin! Can you bring me the ice cream in the freezer when you come in here? Pleeeeeeeease?” Daphne asked.

Justin appeared at her bedroom door with a gallon of double chocolate fudge brownie ice cream in one hand and a spoon in the other.

“I swear Justin. Both of these kids have you appetite. I’ve gone through three boxes of Pop Tarts in a week. They’re all I seem to have a craving for.” She said, taking the ice cream from Justin. “Thanks”

“Except for the occasional ice cream craving right? No problem” he replied with a smile.

“Oh. There they go again. Let me tell you. I think they’re trying to break out of my stomach the way they kick sometimes. Here...feel”

Daphne took Justin’s hand and placed it on her stomach. That’s when he felt it. A little bump against his hand.

“Oh my god. That’s the first time I’ve felt them move.” Justin said with a sunshine smile spreading across his face.

Justin was about to grab a spoon for himself when he heard the apartment door open.

“Anyone here?” Brian yelled from the living room.

Justin ran out to greet him and dragged him into the bedroom.

“Come on! Quick! Feel this”

“Justin. Daphne’s right here. Wait till we get home or at least to the car.” Brian said jokingly.

“Shut up and put your hand right…here.” Justin says.

Both Daphne and Justin watch Brian’s face when he feels the little bump bump.

Brian pulled his hand array and cleared his throat. When he thought no one was looking he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Brian? Are you crying?” Justin asked.

“No I am not fucking crying. I don’t cry.” Brian replied smugly.

Justin smiled and left it at that. He decided that he would just let it go…this time.

 

Five months…

“Justin. What’s this?” Brian yelled from the bedroom.

“What’s what?” Justin asked as he walked up the stairs.

“This…” Brian said holding up a bag from Baby Gap and pulling out a little pink dress and then a little blue jumper.

“Its exactly what it looks like. A dress for our daughter and a pair of over alls for our son. And like you’re any better.” Justin replied going into the closet pulling out a bag hidden in the back. He holds up the bag reading what’s printed on it.

“Gucci. You bought our son a pair of two hundred dollar baby shoes and oh what do we have here...its another bag from Dior…and a hundred and fifty dollar onesie…that totally beats my twenty five dollar dress and fifteen dollar overalls from Baby Gap...”

“I want my kids to look good.”

“They’ll grow out of it in a month!”

“So I’ll buy another one.”

“Fine...but you cant complain when I but stuff now.” Justin said as he walked out of the room. “We have to pick up Daphne. Today is her first Lamaze class and she wants both of us there.”

“Why both of us?” Brian asked.

“I have no idea...but far be it from me to piss off the pregnant lady. So get ready. You’re going.”

Brian opened his mouth to complain, but decided against it. Justin was right. He had made Daphne mad recently and it wasn’t a pretty sight. She had apologized profusely about kneeing him in the balls and blamed it on pregnancy hormones. She even offered to get him another ice pack. He declined and lay on the bed for three hours after she left. It didn’t stop Justin from laughing at him though.

He changed into jeans and a tank top and followed Justin out the door.

\-------  
“Ok daddy. Breathe with mom. Hee hee hee whoooo. Very good. Keep breathing.”

The Lamaze instructor walked around the room giving instructions.

“Hee hee hee whoooo. Brian. Why are you not breathing? Hee hee hee whoooo.” Justin asked as he breathed with Daphne.

Brian looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t happy about being there and he was especially not happy about having to sit on the floor.

“I know how to breath thank you very much.” He replied.

“Brian…hee hee...you have to breathe with me…whoooo...it helps regulate my…hee hee hee…breathing…whoooo” Daphne said between breathes. 

Brian started to protest but Justin looked at him with a look that said ‘ you remember what she did the last time. Do you really wanna cry in front of all these people?’

“Hee hee hee whoooo” Brian finally started quietly.

“See…whoooo…Brian it’s not that…hee hee hee…bad…whoooo,” Daphne said.

He ignored the smart-ass smile on Justin’s face as he breathed.

\-------  
“See. It wasn’t that bad. It was actually kind of fun,” Daphne said as she waddled over to the sofa to sit down.

She had come over for dinner after Lamaze and she just had to see the expensive stuff Brian bought for the babies.

“Oh my god! Those are so cute!” she said as she looked at the shoes. Brian and Justin were in the kitchen scooping the ice cream Daphne just had to have…for the babies of course…into bowls.

Daphne had gotten up to put the bag back in the bedroom while Brian and Justin made their way over to the table.

“ Ugh!”

“Daphne!”

Brian and Justin ran over to Daphne who was now holding her stomach in pain.

“Something’s wrong”


	10. Growing Pains

At the hospital…

Brian and Justin waited with Daphne for the doctor to come into her room. They moved her from the emergency room to a room on the maternity ward floor so she would be more comfortable.

"How are you feeling?" Justin asked as he sat next to her bed. Brian was out pacing in the hallway, waiting for the doctor.

"I'm ok...but I'm scared as hell Justin. What the fuck was that?" she answered.

"I don't know Daph. But the doctor should be here soon."

Justin looked up to see Brian walking into the room with the doctor.

"Hi Daphne. I'm doctor Cooper. How are you feeling?" he questioned.

"I'm ok...but what about my babies? Are they ok? And what was that?" Daphne asked worriedly.

" You went into pre-term labor Daphne. Fortunately we were able to stop it and your babies are fine. We're going to need to keep you here at least over night to monitor you just incase this happens again. But when we do release you from our care you'll need to be on bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy." Dr. Cooper explained.

"Ok. Just as long as the babies are ok. Thank you doctor." She said.

"You're very welcome. I'll be in in a while to check on how you're doing ok?" 

"Ok."

After the doctor left the room, all three of them let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank god you and the babies are ok." Brian said.

"Thank god. But I think it may be time for Daphne to be closer to us when she needs us." Justin said. 

"What do you mean Justin?" Daphne asked.

" Well…we have spare room downstairs…and she cant get out of bed so what if she needs something?"  
"Are you saying that you want me to move in with you guys?" 

Justin looked up at Brian and then turned back to Daphne.

"Yea...you should move in" Brian said before Justin got the chance to say it.

"At least until the babies are born. Then I wouldn't have to call you every ten minutes to see if you needed anything." Justin added.

"Um...ok… I'll move in"

One week later…

"You are so fucking hot…" Brian whispered as he grabbed the lube from the nightstand.

"Ah…fuck me," Justin gasped.

Brian was about to push in when…

"JUSTIN!? CAN YOU COME HERE FOR A MINUTE?"

Both Brian and Justin collapsed onto the bed with an aggravated sigh.

"Fuck…" Justin said as he slid out from underneath Brian and tried to find where he threw his pajama bottoms.

"I'll be back," he said as he waked out of the room.

 

"Whatsa matter Daph?"

"Can you get me a bottle of …water…"

She looked at Justin and saw how disheveled he was and that he was obviously trying to hide…something.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked.

"No Daph its fine. Do you need anything else before I go back upstairs?" Justin replied.

"Um…no. I think that's it."

"Ok. I'll be right back."

"Thanks…"

Justin went upstairs and grabbed Daphne her water and brought it back downstairs to her. With a quick you're welcome, he was upstairs and back in bed only to find Brian asleep.

"Fuck...its gonna be a looong next three months….

Six months…

"So because the doctor said that twins usually don't carry the full nine months, we're gonna have the shower now." Justin explained to Emmett on the phone as he scooped ice cream for Daphne

"JUSTIN! WHERE ARE YOU?" Daphne yelled up the stairs.

"I'm coming Daph!" he yelled back. "No Em...she doesn't know. I want it to be a surprise. Yea…I'll have her out of the house and then I'll bring her back when you call and tell me that everyone's here. Ok...I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Justin hung up the phone as he walked down the stairs.

"I'm right here Daph." He said as he handed her the bowl.

Justin sat down on the bed next to Daphne. At six month she was twice the size of a normal pregnant woman. But then again...she was carrying twice the baby…

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Bored…uncomfortable…and like a fuckin whale." She answered.

"You're not a fuckin whale Daph. This is normal for a mother of twins."

"Yea I know," she said as she put her hands on her stomach, " but I still feel huge."

Justin laughed and stood up to go back upstairs.

"Ooh…damn…these kids kick so fuckin much. And they always find a way to kick me right in the ribs too."

"I guess that means that they cant wait to get out of there." Justin said as he picked up the bowl from the side table.

"Hmm…I guess not." She said just as she fell asleep.

Three weeks later…

"So the doctor said everything was fine…." Daphne said as she and Justin walked back into the loft after seeing the doctor.

SURPRISE!!

 

"Oh my god!" she yelled as she looked around to see a room full of the people she loved…AND PRESENTS!

Justin led her over to the couch where all the people in the room greeted her.

" Surprise." Justin said as he came over to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"You knew about this?" she asked.

"Yup…I told Em that the doctor said that twins usually don't carry the full 9 months and he put the shower together."

"And a very lovely shower it is if I do say so myself," Emmett said as he kissed Daphne on the cheek too.

"Oh my god. Thank you so much guys!"

Daphne hugged them both and tried to decide what present she would open first.

"Oh. Honey. Open mine first." Said Debbie.

Daphne opened the box and read the t-shirt out loud, "If you think I'm cute, you should see my Grandma Deb. Ooh…that is so cute! And there are two of them. Thank you Debbie."

She put the shirts back into the box and picked up Deb's next gift. She pulled the top off the box and gasped.

"I knew she would love it!" Deb shouted in excitement.

But Daphne didn't gasp in excitement…she lifted the tiny purple velvet dress out of the box and held it up. She turned to look at Brian and Justin, who were wearing the same fake smile. She plastered a fake smile on her face and thanked Debbie before pulling a patchwork shirt out of the box.

"Thank you Debbie…they're…adorable."

She placed the boxed aside and opened the rest of the presents, which included a shirt and shorts and a dress and a little leopard print bikini because according to Emmett, their little girl would need to look fabulous for the summer, from Emmett and a diaper bag from Mel and Linds.

Brian and Justin even got presents. When Justin opened the box and saw the little pink and blue t-shirts that said my heart belongs to daddy he had to stop himself from letting tears roll down his cheeks. 

\----------------------  
After everyone had left, Brian and Justin gave Daphne their presents. They had bought everything for the babies' rooms. 

Brian and Justin came into her room, both wheeling Silver Cross Kensington Pram strollers.

"Oh my god! Isn't that the same stroller that Sarah Jessica Parker had? Those things are like two thousand dollars each!" Daphne said, a surprised look on her face.

" Well now you one up her…you have two..." Brian said as he produced some pictures from his pocket.

"We got you all the furniture for the babies rooms too." Justin said as he showed her the pictures.

"Guys! This stuff is beautiful! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome Daph." Brian and Justin both said as they hugged her.

Seven months…

"You know…we haven't picked out names yet." Daphne said as she looked through her baby name book.

She was watching Justin try to put together the new crib that just arrived and was having a great time doing so.

"What do you think of Victoria?" she asked.

"Nah…too proper…" Justin replied.

"How bout Gale?"

"You're not naming my daughter Gale."

"No…I mean for the boy."

"Who the fuck would name their son Gale?"

Daphne shrugged and looked in the book again.

"I've always like Mckayla." She said.

"Mckayla. I like it. Its pretty. But I've always like Justine." Justin replied as he turned the last screw to put the crib together.

"Hmm… I wonder why…could it be the fact that is has Justin in it?"

"It could be…hey…what about we put them together. Mckayla Justine. What do you think?"

"I like it." Brian said as he came down the stairs.

Oh...hey. How was Gus?" Justin asked.

"He's good. The munchers say hi." Brian replied. "So what did you pick out for a boys name?"

"Nothing yet…" Daphne answered, " but…I was kinda hoping that we could use Aiden."

"My middle name?"

"Yea Brian...then we could have both our names in our kids names."

"Aiden…it's a good name…"

" I like Aiden Benjamin. I always liked the name Benjamin." Justin added as he tried to get the bassinet out of the box.

"So I guess that's it. Mckayla Justine and Aiden Benjamin."

Eight months…

"So we're going to want to schedule a date to induce soon." Doctor Kelly said as she moved the ultrasound wand over Daphne's stomach.

"Ok…when should we do that?" Justin asked.

"Probably in about two weeks. The babies are fully developed now. And it seems that even though it's very rare to see, both are in position for natural delivery"

"Ok…thank you doctor."

"You're very welcome…you can just talk to the receptionist up front and she'll schedule you."

 

"Wow…two weeks left. It seems like it went so fast." Justin said as they walked out of the doctor's office.

"Pft…maybe for you it seemed like a short time…I'm the one who got the morning sickness and keeps getting kicked in the ribs remember?" Daphne replied with a smile.

"Two weeks." She said as she looked down at her stomach. "See you in two weeks little ones."

Two weeks later…

"Ok Daphne I need you to push!"

Daphne squeezed Justin and Brian's hands and pushed.

"Home on Daph…you can do it…push" Justin coached her.

"Oooww...Daph...hand hand!!" Brian said as Daphne squeezed too hard on his hand.

"Hee hee whoooo…I'm the one pushing out a fucking baby Brian! Stop bitchiiiiiiiinnnnng! Oooowww!!!"

"Come on Daphne! One more push! Here we go…."

A minute later the room was filled with the sounds of a crying baby.

"Congratulations! It's a girl!"

The nurse brought her over for Daphne to see.

"Oh my god! She's beautiful!" Daphne said as she rested for a minute.

"Ok Daphne. We have one more to go…. now on your next contraction I want you to push!"

"You're doing great Daphne…" Brian re assured her.

Daphne pushed and pushed when all of a sudden the babies heart monitor began to drop.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" Daphne asked in a panic.

"Daphne, your baby's heart rate is dropping. We need to bring you in for an emergency c-section. Get the OR prepped!" Dr. Kelly announced as she began to prep for surgery.

\-----------------------  
The screams of a new baby boy willed the OR when Aiden was born.The doctors lifted him over the curtain for Daphne to see.

"He's beautiful," she said through her tears.

"He is Daphne…you did great…" Justin said. Kissing her on the forehead. 

Brian got up from the other stool to go and look at the baby while Justin stayed with Daphne.

"Yea…I did…" Daphne said just as her eye lids fluttered shut.

" Doctor! Her heart rate is dropping"

"Daphne! Daph! DAPHNE!" Justin screamed.

He held her hand saying no over and over again.

"No...no....no Daph…you cant leave me…no Daphne! No!!"

Brian came over to him and pulled him away from Daphne as the doctors swarmed around her.

Justin struggled to get away from Brian but he couldn't and he collapsed, crying into brains arms.

He was in a daze but he would head snippets of the doctors talking and yelling.

"…Pulse is dropping……defibrillator now……. no pulse…10:45 AM…. I'm sorry…."

Brian held Justin as they both stood and cried….

\-----------------  
"We need to put the names of your babies on their bassinets. What should we put?" the nurse asked as Justin sat with his baby girl in his arms.

"The boy is Aiden Benjamin and the girl is Mckay-" Brian said before Justin interrupted him.

"No...She's Daphne Mckayla. I want her to always have a piece of her mother with her." Justin said as he looked at the baby in his arms.

Brian walked over to Justin and sat down in the chair next to him. He was holding Aiden and already he could see so much of Daphne in them both.

They had her dark brown hair and her nose and her eyes. But when he looked at then, Justin's baby blues shown back at him.  
"Ok...its Daphne Mckayla."

"Your mommy loved you so much babies. She loved you so much…" Justin said as he began to cry again.

It would be hard raising the babies without Daphne. But they would find a way somehow….

* * *

Ok…a little authors note at the end here…if you want to see Daphne's baby shower presents…there are pictures in my LJ.

And I have to announce that Growing Pains will be coming to an end…. I will write 2 more chapters and then that's it…this story has been my baby for over six months and 18 chapters later i'm running out of ideas.... we've followed Brian and Justin through taking care of a two year old Gus to saying I love you for the first time to having a huge ass fight and then making up to proposing on a beach in hawaii to the wedding and now to having kids...I'm at the end of my creative rope here people...I dont know how much farther I can take it... But there will be a sequel. I left the situation with gus with a question mark and I really wanna address that….so I hope you've enjoyed reading my story, because I know that I've enjoyes writing it. :o)


	11. Growing Pains

Justin sat in the nursery, looking at the babies in their little plastic incubators. Daphne was doing better than Aiden was. 

Daphne was a healthy five pounds three ounces. Aiden was a little smaller than she was at four pounds, 6 ounces, but due to the complications during his birth he was weaker than she was.

The doctors had told them that Daphne's death was due to blood loss. She had lost a lot of blood when the first baby was born naturally and they couldn't stop the bleeding when Aiden was born. 

It was the generic we did all we could but we couldn't save her answer.

It had only been about three hours since the twins had been born and Justin hadn't left their side. 

Brian had gone out into the waiting room to tell everyone that was waiting what had happened. As much as he had tried, he couldn't get Justin to move from his spot in front of the babies.

\--

Brian opened the door to the waiting room and saw that everyone was waiting for news. He was still in the scrubs that the doctor had made them put on before Daphne went in for the c-section. 

He had stopped in the bathroom on his way to break the news to the family and splashed water on his face, trying to make the redness in his eyes from crying fade before he had to face everyone.

When everyone saw him they rushed up to him wanting to see pictures and asking how Daphne and the babies were.

"Um." Brian started, " you're going to want to sit down for this."

He looked at Daphne's parents who had a combination of pride and now fear on their faces.

"I'm sorry…" was all he said before the tears started rolling down his face.

Daphne's mother collapsed onto her husbands shoulder and cried.

He turned back to everyone else and went to sit down.  
"It was going fine. The first baby was born and then the other baby's heart rate started to drop…they took her in for an emergency c-section and the baby was born and then they couldn't stop the bleeding."

Brian looked up to see crying faces all around him.

Debbie came over and sat next to Brian, pulling him into her arms.

He pulled away and began talking again.

"The babies are fine. Justin is in with them now." He pulled a couple of Polaroid's from his pocket and put them on the table.

"This is Aiden Benjamin, " he said, picking up a picture. " and this is Daphne Mckayla."

He looked at Daphne's parents when he said his daughter's name.

" Justin wanted her to always have a part of her mother with her."

"Thank you…thank you…." Daphne's mother said, her voice just above a whisper.

Brian stood up and started to walk towards the door. 

"You can come and see them now. Follow me."

\--

Justin walked over to the incubator and looked in at baby Aiden. He put his hand on the plastic cover. He was tiny...but the doctors said he would be ok to go home in about a week.

The nurse came over and told Justin that he could take him out if he would like to.

Justin smiled and opened the incubator and lifter Aiden out. He sat down and looked at the baby. He was wide-awake and he stared back at Justin with baby blue eyes. 

"Do you know how much your mommy loved you? She loved you very much. She couldn't wait to see you." He said as he ran his fingers over the wisps of brown hair on the top of Aiden's head. "She would be happy to know that you're ok…"

Justin looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Brian standing behind him.

"Everyone is here to see them." Brian said.

Justin looked over at the window that looked out into the hallway and say everyone standing, waiting to see the babies.

He worked up enough of a smile and stood up to take Aiden over to the window.

He stood sideways so everyone could see him. 

"This is Aiden he said." Holding the baby up.

Brian stood next to him with Daphne in his arms as cameras snapped and flashes went off. 

Justin may have looked happy on the outside…and he was happy…but on the inside, he felt like dieing.

Two days later…

Two days after the babies were born was Daphne's funeral. 

Justin had been asked to say a few words…

"Daphne was my best friend. But I loved her as more. She was the one who was always there for me. She was the first person I came out to and she accepted me for who I was. She never tried to convince me I should be anyone other than who I was…"

"When we asked her to be the mother of our children, she didn't even think about her answer. As soon as we asked, the answer was yes. And we will always be grateful to her for that." 

"Daph…I promise, I'll tell them everything about you. I'll make sure they know you…and I promise that I will make sure they know how much you loved them. I love you Daph."  
Justin stepped away from the podium and walked back to his seat, collapsing next to Brian and he began to cry as Brian held him.

At the cemetery, they stood and watched her casket being lowered into the ground, tear rolling down both Brian and Justin's cheeks as they said their final good byes.

\--  
Brian and Justin arrived home with the babies three days later to food already cooking.

They opened the door to find Debbie standing in front of the over, pulling a tray of lasagna out.

The bassinets had been set up and the babies' rooms were all done.

"Welcome home!" Debbie said as she placed the tray on the counter.

Brian and Justin went over and put the babies in their bassinets and then went to greet Debbie.

"Thanks deb. That looks great." Justin said as he hugged Debbie.

"Well…after all you guys have been through, it's the least I can do. Now where are my grandbabies?" 

All three of them went over to the babies' bassinets and looked in on them.

"They're beautiful. And they got so big." Debbie said as she watched them sleep.

"Yea...they are." Justin replied.

Justin's eyes started to water again and he brought his hand up to wipe them.

Debbie noticed this and decided that it was time for her to heave.

"You guys must be tired...I'll just go…you take care of yourselves."

She kissed both of them and the babies' goodbye and left.

Brian rubbed Justin's shoulder and held him close as they looked at the babies.

"Brian...I…I just need some time alone with them right now." He said.

"Ok…I'll be downstairs if you need me." Brian said, placing a kiss on the top of Justin's head before walking away.

\-------

Justin sat down with Daphne in one arm and Aiden in the other. He looked at them. Memorized their features. Daphne had her mother's nose while Aiden had his mother's ears. He amazed himself that he could pick up such little details in them that he hadn't noticed in Daphne herself.

He walked back over to the bassinets and placed the babies in them then went back over to the couch.

Justin laid down on the couch and was soon asleep…

\----------  
"They're beautiful aren't they?"

Justin was woken up by a familiar voice.

"Da... Daphne?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Duh Justin. Who else would it be?"

Justin felt himself start to cry as he got up and hugged Daphne.

"Oh my god Daph. I thought I would never see you again!"

Daphne hugged Justin back and said, "well you really aren't seeing me now either."

"What…but you're here…"

"And you're sleeping."

"But…"

"But nothing Justin…this is all a dream…"  
Justin hung his head, sad that when he woke up she would be gone again.

"I just…I miss you so much…How could you leave me…and the babies?"

"Do you think I wanted to go?" she asked. "I didn't want to go…hell I protested all the way there. I remember it all. And its not like people say it is. There's no white light, no dead grandma, no big pearly gates…your kinda just…there…oh and by the way…I felt right at home…because the Big Guy…" 

She made a face and a hand gesture and Justin understood.

"No... God is gay?"

"Shhh… you didn't hear it form me…but yup…as the day is long. Real nice guy…San Francisco accent…he told me he had special plans for that asshole in the Whitehouse…his words… not mine."

Justin laughed at Daphne's description of god. 

"And by the way…thanks."

"For what?" Justin asked.

"Daphne Mckayla…"

"I wanted her to have a piece of you with her all the time."

Daphne walked over to Justin and kissed him on the forehead then went back over to the babies.

"I'll always be here Justin. You know that right?" she asked

Justin nodded and she continued to talk.

"If you ever need to talk…I'm here…just like old times…"

"Just like old times…"

" And make sure that they know that I love them." She said as she kissed each of the twins on the tops of their heads.

"I promise…" Justin replied.

"I have to go Justin. Love ya."

"Love you too Daph." He said as they hugged. 

And then she was gone. 

Justin opened his eyes to find Brian holding Daphne in his arms.

He got up and went over and stood next to him.

"You gonna be ok?" Brian asked.

"yea," Justin said as he smiled, " we're gonna be ok."


	12. Growing Pains

This is just a short thank you to all of you who read the story. I’m going to write a longer one at the end...but thank you!! And enjoy the last chapter.

* * *

Two years later…

Daphne! 

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU STAND UP!

NO! NO DON’T—

CRASH!

Oops…

\--  
Justin looked up from his sketchbook when he heard the small oops. He didn’t even want to turn around to see what his daughter had broken but from the sound of it, it was something big and expensive.

He turned around to see Daphne running towards him, followed by Brian.

“Dada! Dada!! Daddy mad at me!” she yelled as she clung to Justin's leg.

Justin smiled and picked her up. 

“Well what did you do that made daddy mad?”

“ Me an Aiden was playin hide an seek an I was hidin an daddy said be careful when I got up an I didn’t see it when I got up and it fell.”

Justin looked at Brian with a confused look on his face.

Brian pointed behind him and Justin saw that the vase his mother had given them was broken.

He also saw Aiden about to pick up one of the pieces.

“Brian! Get him away from the glass!” Justin yelled and Brian ran over and scooped Aiden up just before he picked up the broken piece of the vase.

Then he turned back to Daphne and continued to talk.

“Well miss Daphne,” he said, setting the little girl down on the couch. “ I think you need to say sorry to daddy for not listening to him and them give him a big hug.”

“Ok dada.”

Brian handed Aiden over to Justin and he held him as he watched Daphne walk over to Brian and give him a hug.  
“I sowwy daddy.” She said as she buried her face in brains leg.

“Its ok baby girl. It was an accident.” Brian said as he picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

“Why don’t you guys go downstairs and play while daddy and I clean this up ok?” Justin said as he put Aiden down and watched him run down the stairs.

Daphne went running down the stairs after Aiden shouting, “ TAG! YOU’RE IT!”

Justin went to get a bag for the glass while Brian began to pick up the bigger pieces.

“Thanks.” Brian said when Justin held out the bag for him.

 

“No problem…but that’s the third thing this month. Even with all this space…I think we need a bigger place.” Justin said as Brian dropped the pieces into the bag.

Brian sat back on his heels and sighed. He looked up at Justin and nodded.

They had been talking about getting a bigger house but they had never looked at anything.

“ Call your mom. We’ll start looking this weekend. We can have Gus watch the kids.” Brian said.

“Ok. I’m gonna go check on them downstairs and then I’ll call her.” Justin said, walking away.

\--

“Ok. So this one is three bedrooms. Three and a half bath. Finished basement. What do you guys think?”

Brian and Justin looked around the house. 

Brian liked the sleek look of the house with its polished wood floors and minimal design. But when he looked at Justin he saw he was thinking otherwise.

“Eh…its ok…I guess…”Justin said.

“Ok Jen. What else do you have?” Brian asked.

“Well there is one more house. Its still in the building stages though. But its pretty much done.” She said as she walked out of the house.

“Just follow me.” She said as she got into her car.

Brian and Justin got into their car and followed Jennifer to the last house. 

When the house was in sight, Justin gasped.

Brian smirked and looked at the awed look on Justin's face.  
Welcome home he thought.

They pulled into the driveway behind Jennifer and got out of the car.

“Well. I can see from the look on your face that you’re impressed.” Jennifer said when she saw the look on her sons face.

“Yea. Its great.” Justin said as he took everything in.

Jennifer smiled and showed them inside.

“Ok. So this house has a three-car garage with automatic opener.” 

They followed her as she walked into the kitchen pointing out different features.

“ The house comes with all the appliances including a disposal and dishwasher.” She said before leading them though the house again.

Justin was mesmerized by the house and Brian knew that this was going to be the house they bought.

When the tour was over Jennifer asked them what they thought of the house.

“It was amazing. Its perfect and it has all the room we need.” Justin answered looking at Brian.

“Where do we sign?” Brian asked.

Justin ran up to Brian and excitedly hugged him.

“Thank you thank you thank you!!” he said.

Jennifer smiled and said, “ I’ll come to the loft later with the paperwork you need.”

\--  
“Daddy!! Dada!!” 

The twins greeted Brian and Justin as soon as they walked through the door of the loft.

They kissed each of them before putting them down and letting them run off to play again.

Gus came up from downstairs a couple minutes later to say hello.

“ Hey dad. Daddy. Did you guys find anything?” he asked.

Even at 19 he still called Justin daddy. It was something that he had just never grown out of.

“Yea we actually did. Jennifer is coming over later with all the paperwork we need.” Brian answered his son.

“So. How were they? They didn’t give you too much trouble did they?” Justin asked.

“Nah. They were great. As always” Gus answered.

The three of them went over and sat down on the couch to talk.

“So you have any plans for tonight?” Brian asked.

“Yea. I have a date with Shannon tonight.” Gust answered.

“Shannon? What happened to Alex?”

“Eh. It wasn’t working out. So we just decided to break up.”

“Ah...I see. Well have fun tonight,” Justin said as he got up and went into the kitchen to grab something to drink.

“I will. I gotta get going. I’ll see you guys later.” Gus said getting up and giving his dads hugs good-bye.

“Daphne! Aiden! Come say bye to Gus.” Justin yelled down the stairs.

The twins came running up the stairs and attached themselves to one of Gus’s legs.

“Bye-bye Gus!” they said.

“Bye guys. I’ll come back soon ok?” he said.

They nodded and then ran back downstairs to play.

Later that night…

“Ok guys. All set.” Jennifer said as she gathered up the papers.

Brian and Justin smiled at each other. They had just signed the papers they needed to buy the house. With all the money Kinnetik had made they were able to buy the house up front.

They had decided to keep the loft too. Just incase they needed to go somewhere quiet once in a while.

“Gamma Jen! Look at my piture!” Daphne said, tugging on Jennifer’s jacket.

She reached down and took the picture from the little girl.

“Its beautiful baby.” She said, smiling down at Daphne.

She giggled and then said, “for you.”

“Well thank you.” Jennifer said as she kissed the top of her grand daughters head. “I’ll hang it on the refrigerator right next to the one you gave me the last time you came over.”

Daphne clapped her hands and giggled before running back to play with Aiden.

Jennifer looked at Brian and Justin and smiled. 

“I think you have another artist in the family. She's just like you when you were that age. You never stopped drawing and coloring.”

Justin smiled as he looked at his children.

“I think so too. We’ll have to get her into some art classes at the Center”

“Well guys. I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.” Jennifer said as she kissed the twins then Brian and Justin good-bye.

“Bye mom.” Justin said.

When she was gone Justin turned to Brian and hugged him.

“We have a house!”

Three weeks later…

Brian and Justin were finally all moved into the new house.

Everything was painted and all the furniture was in I place.

And all this happened just in time for the twins third birthday.

They had planned a house warming/ birthday party for the day of their birthday.

But before they could celebrate, there was one thing they had to do….

 

\--

Brian and Justin stepped out of the car and walked over to the grave marker.

Justin looked at the smooth polished surface and ran his fingers over the name.

Daphne Chanders it read.

He kneeled down in front of the headstone and pulled Daphne and Aiden close to him.

A silent tear rolled down his cheek as he hugged them.

Daphne placed a tiny kiss on his cheek and said, “ don’t cry dada.”

“Ok baby.” He said as he wiped the tear away.

“ Hi mommy.” Aiden said, surprising Justin. He looked over at the little boy who was waving at the tombstone.

He looked at Brian and said, “ I didn’t think they would remember coming here.”

“ Neither did I…but I guess they do.” Brian replied as he placed a hand on Justin's shoulder.

“Say hi to mommy Daphne.” Justin said.

“Hi mommy.” She said.

“Hi Daph.” Justin said. “I brought them to say hello. We miss you Daph. I make sure to tell them as much as I can how much you loved them right guys?” 

The twins nodded when Justin said this. He knew that they didn’t really understand what was happening and why dada was talking to no one but he thought they understood enough.

They sat in silence for a little while when Aiden stood up. He walked over to the headstone and placed a little kiss on the top of it. Then he turned around and sat back on Justin's lap.

Just seeing this brought tears to Justin's eyes. Brian rubbed Justin's shoulders and kissed him on the cheek.

It had been a cloudy day out but when Aiden had gone over and kissed the tombstone a ray of sunlight broke though the clouds.

Soon it was sunny and a warm breeze washed over the four of them.

Justin knew that she was watching and that this was her way of telling them that she was there.

After a little while longer they stood up and made their way back to the car.

Justin said goodbye and walked behind Brian and the twins. 

He had a small smile on his face because he knew that she would always be watching over them…

\--

Justin brought the cake into the dining room where everyone was seated. 

He set it down in front of the twins and everyone sang happy birthday.

They all laughed when Daphne and Aiden dug their fingers into the cake before it was even cut.

He took pictures of their smiling chocolate frosting covered faces and laughed as a blob of frosting that was thrown across the table by Aiden landed right in Brian’s face.

When everyone was done with their cake, Brian and Justin washed the wins up and let them run outside to burn off the sugar energy. While they were on their way outside, the twins grabbed Gus's hand and he allowed himself to be dragged out with them.

Justin stood on the deck and watched Aiden and Daphne being chased around the yard by Gus. He thought back to when Gus was that age. He remembered taking gust for that weekend and when they had thrown his birthday party resulting in a rear meltdown from Brian.

And then he realized that they had come full circle. 

They had gone from a non-defined, non-conventional couple to a house and kids. He never thought it would happen but here they were.

19 years later. 

Yea. They had come full circle.

Justin looked at his kids one more time before he pushed away from the railing and walked inside to help Brian clean up.

 

THE END.

 

Wow. That’s the end of Growing Pains. When I started to write this story, I was going to make it a two or three chapter story. 20 chapters later I’m happy that I didn’t to that. This had been so amazing to write. And I never thought that it would be as popular as it became. Thank you to all of the people who read the story and reviewed it and told me to keep going. Without you I probably would have stopped a long time ago. Haha. So thank you sooo soooooooooo much!!!!!!!! I really hope that you enjoyed reading the story as much as I loved to write it. Be sure to look out for the sequel to Growing Pains: Gus’s Story sometime soon. But until then keep reading and reviewing.


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